Lake Sunapee - Lake Sunapee Watershed

Lake Sunapee Watershed

New Hampshire is divided into five large river basins. The Lake Sunapee watershed is part of the Connecticut River Basin. The watershed is surrounded by high hills and 55 square miles (142 km2) of town lands including parts of Sunapee, Newbury, Sutton, New London, Springfield and Goshen. There are 35 streams or tributaries that empty into Sunapee. The land/water ratio is 7:1. A watershed is an ecosystem of animals, plants, micro-organisms and people who all affect the physical and chemical environment.

Lakes in the Sunapee watershed region

A large number of lakes lie in the watershed that contributes to Lake Sunapee. Directly upstream from Georges Mills at the north end of the lake is Otter Pond (1,125 ft/343 m elevation), which in turn is fed by Little Sunapee Lake. Otter Pond is about 32 feet (10 m) higher than Lake Sunapee, and Little Sunapee (1,220 ft/370 m) is about 127 feet (39 m) higher. Other lakes in the watershed include Ledge Pond (1,309 ft/399 m), Baptist Pond, Star Lake, Morgan Pond, Dutchman Pond, Goose Hole, Mountainview Lake (1,116 ft/340 m), and Chalk Pond, as well as numerous small, unnamed water bodies.

Mountains in the Sunapee watershed region

To the north - Leavitt Hill, Hoyt Hill, Sanborn Hill, Morgan Hill; to the south - Mount Sunapee, South Peak, Bly Hill; to the east - Kings Hill, Burpee Hill; to the west - Prospect Hill, Trow Hill, Brown Hill, Burkhaven Hill, Baisdell Hill.