Unity Pond (also known as Lake Winnecook) is the largest lake in Waldo County, Maine, United States. It spans the towns of Unity, Burnham, and Troy.
Geography
Unity Pond covers a surface area of approximately 2,523 acres (1,021 ha; 3.942 sq mi), with a maximum length of 4.1 miles (6.6 km) and a maximum width of 1.9 miles (3.1 km). The lake has an average depth of 22 feet (6.7 m) and a maximum depth of 41 feet (12 m). Its surface elevation is 171 feet (52 m) above sea level. The primary tributaries include Meadow Brook, Bithers Brook, and Carlton Stream. The sole outflow is Twenty-Five Mile Stream, which flows through a wetland area southwest of the lake and eventually feeds into the Sebasticook River. The lake's catchment area is 32.7 square miles (85 km²).
History
European settlement around Lake Winnecook began in 1785. By the early 1800s, sawmills were established along the three main tributaries. Deforestation by 1830 caused most sawmills to close but enabled agricultural development, which continued into the 20th century. Canneries operated in the area from the 1920s to the 1950s. As subsistence agriculture declined in the 1940s, poultry and dairy farming took its place, and seasonal camps were built along the shoreline.
Water Quality
Unity Pond has experienced eutrophication, historically due to agricultural runoff and effluent from a canning factory. It is listed on the state Nonpoint Source Priority Watersheds list because of summer algal blooms caused by phosphorus from runoff. The surrounding watershed consists of 16.2% developed land, 71.7% non-developed land (mostly forest), and 12.1% surface water.
Ecology and Recreation
A total of 20 fish species are found in the lake, including 12 indigenous species. The lake is stocked with trout and alewife. Other fish present include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, and black crappie, among others. The lake is surrounded by nearly 300 residences, slightly more than half of which are seasonal. Recreational activities include boating, fishing, camping, and swimming. Public access is available at Kanokolus Beach on the southwest shore and Burnham Town Beach.
