| Lake Quannapowitt | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Lake Quannapowitt  Lake Quannapowitt | |
| Location | Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 42°30′54″N 71°04′43″W / 42.51500°N 71.07861°W[1] |
| Type | Reservoir[1] |
| Primary outflows | Saugus River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 0.397 sq mi (1.028 km2) |
| Surface elevation | 79 ft (24 m)[1] |
| Dam | Lake Quannapowitt Dam[2] |
| Settlements | Wakefield |
Lake Quannapowitt is a lake in Wakefield, Massachusetts. It is one of the two large lakes in Wakefield, the other being the man-made Crystal Lake. The lake is named after Quonopohit,[3] the Naumkeag Native American man who signed a deed to the town that would become Wakefield in 1686.[4] The lake is located off Route 128 in Middlesex County and has become a popular locale for walkers, joggers, bikers, and in-line skaters. It is the site of many organized races from 5Ks to ultramarathons. Since 1992, Friends of Lake Quannapowitt (FOLQ) has operated as an organization working to fulfill its goal of promoting public awareness and providing long-term protection and enhancement of Lake Quannapowitt and its environs. Large amounts of tar were found in the lake some years ago, a by-product of gas manufacturing from coal.[5] The lake is emptied by the Saugus River.
Lake Quannapowitt (KWAN-ah-POW-it / KWAN-ə-POW-it), which was originally known as Reading Pond, has numerous nicknames today. Some area natives refer to the lake as "Lake Quannapolluted", due to their view of the state of health of the lake, but the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection handled only one isolated open case of contamination from the electric company that was remediated in 2008. The two former beaches remain closed to swimming, due to arsenic, which was introduced into the lake in the early 1960s to handle aquatic weeds.[6]
The town common of Wakefield abuts the southeastern shore of the lake. Located nearby the lake shore within the common is a gazebo locally called "the Bandstand."
The lake has active populations of warm-water species of fish.[4]
