Lake Shenorock

Lake Shenorock is a lake located in the hamlet of Shenorock in the town of Somers, New York. The lake is used for fishing and was used for recreational swimming until the Clean Water Act was passed and the lake became a source of drinking water. The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, recreational swimming ended in 1977. The lake is part of the Croton Reservoir System and is a tributary to the Amawalk Reservoir, which is used as a source of water for New York City residents.[1] There are no major tributaries to the class B lake.

Lake Shenorock
View of Lake Shenorock from "Bass Rock"
Location of the lake in the state of New York, USA.
Location of the lake in the state of New York, USA.
Lake Shenorock
LocationWestchester County, New York
Coordinates41.33185°N 73.73932°W / 41.33185; -73.73932
Typelake
Surface area5.2 hectares (13 acres)
Average depth1.1 metres (3 ft 7 in)

The lake is named after Shawanórõckquot, a Wiechquaeskeck sachem.[2]

Geography

Lake Shenorock is located at 41°19′55″N 73°44′22″W (41.331850, -73.739323).[3] Lake Shenorock is located north of the Amawalk Reservoir.

  • Basin: Lower Hudson River
  • Size: 5.2 hectares (13 acres)
  • Lake Origins: Augmented by Dam
  • Watershed Area: 400 hectares (990 acres)
  • Mean Depth: 1.1 metres (3 ft 7 in)
  • Sounding Depth: 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in)

Lake uses

Lake Shenorock is classified as a class B lake, its intended use is for swimming. A beach, cement dock and dam can be found on the shore of the lake. Swimming is now banned and Lake Shenorock is used for recreation fishing. The recreational uses are considered to be impaired due to algae and poor water transparency. High levels of phosphorus greatly contribute to the algal growth, low levels of oxygen, and poor water transparency.[4]

Wildlife

The state of New York does not stock the lake with fish. Lake Shenorock is a warmwater fishery environment that is home to largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, catfish, and other wildlife such as duck, swan, chelydridae, canada goose, and even muskrat.[5] These are just some of species that inhabit the lake ecosystem, there has been no scientific documentation of the species that live in the lake ecosystem.

Recreational usage

Lake Shenorock once supported two beaches but they were closed in 1977 so that it could be used as a backup supply for the Amawalk and Shenorock water district and tributary to the Amawalk Reservoir. The current association, the United Owners Association of Shenorock, submitted a proposal to the Somers Town Board to create a Park District where recreational swimming would be able to return to the lake after renditions to the Lake were made. Due to the Eutrophic condition of the lake and lack of a clubhouse, restoration projects such as dredging and installment of aeration devices would need to be implemented to enable recreational swimming.[4]

Health
Lake Shenorock shore

The lake is currently undergoing a eutrophic process at a faster rate due to the run off of fertilizers that contain chemicals such as phosphorus.[6] This is causing the lake to undergo the natural process of transitioning into a swamp at a faster rate.[7]

Water flow

Lake Shenorock has no named tributaries but water released from Lake Shenorock flows into the Amawalk Reservoir. Water which is either released out of Amawalk Reservoir flows south in the Muscoot River and eventually enters the Muscoot Reservoir, and then flows into the New Croton Reservoir. The water enters the New Croton Aqueduct, which sends water to the Jerome Park Reservoir in the Bronx, where the water is distributed to the Bronx and to northern Manhattan. On average, the New Croton Aqueduct delivers 10% of New York City's drinking water.[8] The water that doesn't enter the New Croton Aqueduct will flow into the Hudson River at Croton Point.

Notable Residents

Bryan Carson, Mr. Shenorock Award, 2007

References
  1. Linsey, K. S., Wolcott, S. W., & Schoonmaker, N. B. (1999). Identification of potential water-resources-monitoring sites in the Croton Reservoir system, southeastern New York. US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey.
  2. Grumet, Robert S. Beyond Manhattan: A Gazetteer of Delaware Indian History Reflected In Modern-Day Place Names (PDF). New York State Museum. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Archived from the original on 2002-05-27. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  4. http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/water_pdf/cslrpt10shenorockl.pdf
  5. Mueller, D. K., & Helsel, D. R. (1996). Nutrients in the nation's waters-Too much of a good thing?. M. A. Kidd (Ed.). US Government Printing Office.
  6. Bennett, E. M., Carpenter, S. R., & Caraco, N. F. (2001). Human impact on erodable phosphorus and eutrophication: a global perspective increasing accumulation of phosphorus in soil threatens rivers, lakes, and coastal oceans with eutrophication. BioScience, 51(3), 227-234.
  7. Correll, D. L. (1998). The role of phosphorus in the eutrophication of receiving waters: A review. Journal of Environmental Quality, 27(2), 261-266.
  8. "Jerome Park Reservoir" Archived 2011-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
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