Nestled in northeast Pennsylvania, Lake Wallenpaupack is a massive reservoir created by PPL, an energy company. It spans 5,700 acres and has 55 miles of shoreline—and it’s home to some remarkable changes in depth. What can we learn about the deepest point of this majestic lake?
At its shallowest end, Lake Wallenpaupack reaches 20 feet deep. That’s just enough to give swimmers a sense of security while also providing adequate light for aquatic plant life to thrive. From here, depths steadily increase all the way up to its deepest areas.
The spot where Lake Wallenpaupack achieves its greatest depth is known as Tower Bay. Here, it reaches a maximum depth of approximately 60 feet! While this may not seem like much compared to the Mariana Trench (which ranges from 34,000-36,000 feet deep), it’s still quite impressive given that Tower Bay is entirely man-made; made so by damming up the Paupack Creek and allowing water levels to rise back in 1926.
Perhaps even more remarkable than Tower Bay’s depth is its clarity. An impressive portion of sunlight makes it all the way down to 40 feet in this area—a phenomenon rarely seen in other bodies of water due to turbidity and silt caused by runoff and overcrowding with aquatic vegetation at shallower depths. Thanks to this clarity, scuba divers are able to marvel at a vibrant community of fish and invertebrates during their explorations here!
So if you’re ever looking for an adventure on your next visit to northeast Pennsylvania, consider taking a dive into the depths of Lake Wallenpaupack’s Tower Bay. Whether you take your time studying what lurks beneath or use it simply as an opportunity for exercise—you won’t regret it!
