Lake Mendota
Lake Mendota is a freshwater eutrophic lake that is the northernmost and largest of the four lakes in Madison, Wisconsin. The lake borders Madison on the north, east, and south, Middleton on the west, Shorewood Hills on the southwest, Maple Bluff on the northeast, and Westport on the northwest. Lake Mendota acquired its present name in 1849 following a proposal by a surveyor named Frank Hudson, who claimed to be familiar with local Native American languages; Lyman C. Draper, the first corresponding secretary of the Wisconsin Historical Society, proposed that 'Mendota' could have been a Chippewa word meaning 'large' or 'great.'
| Lake Mendota | |
|---|---|
Boats headed toward south shore in Madison | |
Lake Mendota | |
| Location | Dane County, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 43°06′24″N 89°25′29″W |
| Type | Natural freshwater lake |
| Primary inflows | Yahara River |
| Primary outflows | Yahara River |
| Catchment area | 562 km2 (217 sq mi) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5.62 mi (9.04 km) |
| Max. width | 4.11 mi (6.61 km) |
| Surface area | 9,740 acres (3,940 ha) (39.4 sq. km) |
| Average depth | 12.8 m (42 ft) |
| Max. depth | 25.3 m (83 ft) |
| Water volume | 500 million cubic metres (18×109 cu ft) |
| Residence time | 4.5 years |
| Shore length1 | 21.6 mi (34.8 km) |
| Surface elevation | 259 m (850 ft) |
| Frozen | December 20 (average freezing date) |
| Settlements | Madison, Middleton, Shorewood Hills, Maple Bluff, Westport |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
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