Lake Chillisquaque (also known as Montour Lake) is a

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

and

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

Montour County, Pennsylvania Montour County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 18,136. Its count ...

, in the United States. It has a surface area of 165 acres. The lake is situated on

Middle Branch Chillisquaque Creek Middle Branch Chillisquaque Creek is a tributary of Chillisquaque Creek in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Columbia County and Montour County, Pennsylvania, Montour County, in Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately long and flows t ...

, which it is named after. Nearby communities include Danville and Washingtonville. The lake has an elevation of above sea level and is up to deep. It has several coves, including Goose Cove, Heron Cove, and Jellyfish Cove. The lake is dammed on its southern side by the Lake Chillisquaque Dam, which is long and high. The metals with the highest concentrations are

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...

and

iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...

Nonmetal In chemistry, a nonmetal is a chemical element that generally lacks a predominance of metallic properties; they range from colorless gases (like hydrogen) to shiny solids (like carbon, as graphite). The electrons in nonmetals behave differentl ...

s such as

nitrogen Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...

and

phosphorus Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ear ...

are also found in the lake. It experiences

agricultural runoff Agricultural pollution refers to biotic and abiotic byproducts of farming practices that result in contamination or degradation of the environment and surrounding ecosystems, and/or cause injury to humans and their economic interests. The pol ...

as well. Lake Chillisquaque is owned by Pennsylvania energy company

Talen Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) are restriction enzymes that can be engineered to cut specific sequences of DNA. They are made by fusing a TAL effector DNA-binding domain to a DNA cleavage domain (a nuclease which cuts DN ...

. It was constructed in 1972 and was originally created to serve as a supply of cooling water for the Montour Power Plant (a purpose which it still serves), but has also come to be used for recreational purposes. Approximately 200 bird species have been observed on or near the lake and more than 50 species of waterfowl pass by the lake during migration. It is also inhabited by numerous species of

fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...

, some of which are stocked by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Various trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants live in the vicinity of the lake as well. The main recreational activities on or near Lake Chillisquaque include fishing, boating, and hiking. The lake is also surrounded by the Montour Preserve, a

nature preserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

Geography

Lake Chillisquaque is located on Middle Branch Chillisquaque Creek, in Anthony Township. However, other streams feed into the lake as well. It is north of Danville and north of Washingtonville. The lake can be accessed via

Pennsylvania Route 44 Pennsylvania Route 44 (PA 44) is a -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route, which is signed north-south, is designated from Interstate 80 (I-80) and PA 42 in Buckhorn northwest to the New York state line near New York S ...

and

Pennsylvania Route 54 Pennsylvania Route 54 (PA 54) is a state highway which runs for in eastern Pennsylvania. It runs from U.S. Route 15 (US 15), which is three miles (5 km) west of Montgomery, Lycoming County, in the west, to US 209 in Nesquehoning, ...

. The nearest road is Preserve Road/State Route 1006. The lake has an elevation of . With a surface area of 165 acres, the lake is the largest of 82 bodies of water in Montour County. Lake Chillisquaque is the only reservoir in Montour County. Lake Chillisquaque is surrounded by

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

ed hills and

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

land. The Muncy Hills are situated to the north of the lake. Large parts of Lake Chillisquaque are fairly shallow. Most of Heron Cove is less than deep and a large area near the lake's

boat ramp A slipway, also known as boat ramp or launch or boat deployer, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats, and for launching and retrieving small ...

is approximately deep. The deepest parts of the lake, near the lake's dam, are deep. Lake Chillisquaque has a number of

cove A cove is a small type of bay or coastal inlet. Coves usually have narrow, restricted entrances, are often circular or oval, and are often situated within a larger bay. Small, narrow, sheltered bays, inlets, creeks, or recesses in a coast are o ...

s, including Heron Cove and the nearby Jellyfish Cove. Goose Cove is another cove on the lake. It is located in the lake's northwestern section. There are numerous other smaller coves and

bay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a Gulf (geography), gulf, sea, sound (geography), sound, or bight (geogra ...

s. Numerous objects, including tire reefs and

cement A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mix ...

blocks, have been placed in Lake Chillisquaque to increase its suitability as a fish habitat. There are also basking platforms for

turtle Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...

s on the lake.

Dam

Lake Chillisquaque is dammed by an

earth-fill dam An embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil or rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface and ...

known as the Lake Chillisquaque Dam. Located on the southern side of the lake, the dam is long and high. The dam is wide at its highest point and the top of the dam forms an access road. The inner part of the dam is a

silt Silt is granular material of a size between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz. Silt may occur as a soil (often mixed with sand or clay) or as sediment mixed in suspension with water. Silt usually has a floury feel when ...

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

material, while the outside is made of weathered

shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...

. According to the Montour County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, a major failure in the Lake Chillisquaque Dam could cause damage to several nearby communities, such as Strawberry Ridge and Washingtonville. It could also result in a decrease in the output of the Montour Power Plant, causing a brownout in the area. A severe failure of the dam is considered by the Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan to be the most dangerous threat to Montour County.

Hydrology

The water

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

of Lake Chillisquaque ranges from to in the summer. The

specific conductance Electrical resistivity (also called specific electrical resistance or volume resistivity) is a fundamental property of a material that measures how strongly it resists electric current. A low resistivity indicates a material that readily allow ...

of the lake ranges from 135 to 202 micro-siemens per centimeter. The lake's pH is between 6.6 and 9.3. It is a

dimictic lake A dimictic lake is a body of freshwater whose difference in temperature between surface and bottom layers becomes negligible twice per year, allowing all strata of the lake's water to circulate vertically. All dimictic lakes are also considered hol ...

. The concentration of

suspended solids Suspended solids refers to small solid particles which remain in suspension in water as a colloid or due to motion of the water. Suspended solids can be removed by sedimentation if their size or density is comparatively large, or by filtration. It ...

in Lake Chillisquaque ranges from less than 2 to 58 milligrams per liter. The concentration of

water hardness Hard water is water that has high mineral content (in contrast with "soft water"). Hard water is formed when water percolates through deposits of limestone, chalk or gypsum, which are largely made up of calcium and magnesium carbonates, bicarbo ...

is between 54 and 78 milligrams per liter. It experiences

due to the presence of large tracts of agricultural land near the lake. The concentration of

hydrogen ion A hydrogen ion is created when a hydrogen atom loses or gains an electron. A positively charged hydrogen ion (or proton) can readily combine with other particles and therefore is only seen isolated when it is in a gaseous state or a nearly particle ...

s in the waters of Lake Chillisquaque ranges from 0.00011 to 0.00031 milligrams per liter. The concentration of

dissolved oxygen Oxygen saturation (symbol SO2) is a relative measure of the concentration of oxygen that is dissolved or carried in a given medium as a proportion of the maximal concentration that can be dissolved in that medium at the given temperature. It ca ...

ranges from 0.1 to 10.8 milligrams per liter and the concentration of

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...

in the lake is between 0.1 and 41 milligrams per liter. There are between 3.0 and 5.8 milligrams per liter of

organic Organic may refer to: * Organic, of or relating to an organism, a living entity * Organic, of or relating to an anatomical organ Chemistry * Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or is the product ...

carbon in the lake. The total concentration of

in the lake's waters ranges from 0.34 to 3.1 milligrams per liter, while the concentration of

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous was ...

ranges from less than 0.026 to 3.21 milligrams per liter. The

concentration ranges from 0.015 to 0.172 milligrams per liter. The waters of Lake Chillisquaque also contain varying amounts of

metal A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...

s. These include

, whose concentration ranges from 15.6 to 20.9 milligrams per liter and

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

, whose concentration ranges from 3.7 to 6.2 milligrams per liter. Additionally, the concentration of

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

is less than four milligrams per liter and the

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

concentration is less than one microgram per liter. The lake's

concentration ranges from 30 to 13,000 micrograms per liter, its

manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of industrial alloy use ...

concentration ranges from less than 2 to 4620 micrograms per liter, its

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

concentration ranges from less than 10 to 57 micrograms per liter. The lake's concentration of

aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...

ranges from 200 to 1400 micrograms per liter. The light intensity on the surface of Lake Chillisquaque is 1200 micro-moles per square meter. below the surface of the lake, the light intensity is only 100 micro-moles per square meter. At this depth, only light wavelengths between 450 and 700 nanometers are visible, with 550-millimeter wavelengths (green light) being the most common. The Sechhi depth of the lake ranges from to .

History and etymology

Lake Chillisquaque is named after Middle Branch Chillisquaque Creek, which in turn is derived from a ''chillisuagi'', a Native American word for "song of the wild goose". It was built in 1972 by the PPL, with the dam having been constructed in 1971. The lake is also owned by this organization. The lake's original purpose was as a secondary supply of cooling water for the Montour Power Plant. Still used as a supply of cooling water in emergencies, it is also used for recreation. As is typical of manmade lakes, however, this use of the lake only started several years after its creation. One person

drowned Drowning is a type of suffocation induced by the submersion of the mouth and nose in a liquid. Most instances of fatal drowning occur alone or in situations where others present are either unaware of the victim's situation or unable to offer as ...

in a boating accident on February 16, 2006, and there was another accidental death in April 2011.

Biology

Animals

A total of approximately 200 bird species have been observed on or near Lake Chillisquaque, which has been described as "a

mecca Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...

for migrating birds". Numerous species, including more than 50 species of

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...

pass by the lake during

migration Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration * Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another ** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...

in March. These include

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

geese A goose (plural, : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family (biology), family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser (bird), Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and ''Branta'' (the black geese). Some o ...

swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...

s, and other species.

Shorebird 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...

s are also common on the lake. The Montour Preserve and the lake are in the Central Susquehanna Wild Pheasant Recovery Area. A sizable population of

ringneck pheasant The common pheasant (''Phasianus colchicus'') is a bird in the pheasant family ( Phasianidae). The genus name comes from Latin ''phasianus'', "pheasant". The species name ''colchicus'' is Latin for "of Colchis" (modern day Georgia), a country o ...

s can be found near the lake. Additionally, numerous species of

are stocked in Lake Chillisquaque by the

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is an independent state agency responsible for the regulation of all fishing and boating in the state of Pennsylvania within the United States of America. Unlike many U.S. states, Pennsylvania has a separ ...

. These include

bullhead catfish ''Ameiurus'' is a genus of catfishes in the family Ictaluridae. It contains the three common types of bullhead catfish found in waters of the United States, the black bullhead (''Ameiurus melas''), the brown bullhead (''Ameiurus nebulosus''), a ...

largemouth bass The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, but ...

yellow perch The yellow perch (''Perca flavescens''), commonly referred to as perch, striped perch, American perch, American river perch or preacher is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Samu ...

northern pike The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus '' Esox'' (the pikes). They are typical of brackish and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). They are known simply as a ...

, and several other species. A 2005 trapnet survey by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission showed that the most common fish species in Lake Chillisquaque was the

black crappie The black crappie (''Pomoxis nigromaculatus'') is a freshwater fish found in North America, one of the two types of crappies. It is very similar to the white crappie in size, shape, and habits, except that it is darker, with a pattern of black sp ...

, of which 717 individuals were observed. These ranged between and long. 290

golden shiner The golden shiner (''Notemigonus crysoleucas'') is a cyprinid fish native to eastern North America. It is the sole member of its genus. Much used as a bait fish, it is probably the most widely pond-cultured fish in the United States. It can be fo ...

s were also observed in the survey, as were 168

bluegill The bluegill (''Lepomis macrochirus''), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ...

s, which ranged between and . 106

walleye The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the yellow pike or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern United States. It is a North American close relat ...

s from were also observed. Less common fish species in the lake include yellow perch, of which 83 specimens between and long were observed;

pumpkinseed The pumpkinseed (''Lepomis gibbosus''), also referred to as pond perch, common sunfish, punkie, sunfish, sunny, and kivver, is a small/medium-sized North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Lepomis'' (true sunfishes), from family Centrarchi ...

s, 21 of which were observed; northern pikes, 19 of which between and long were observed; and

white suckers The white sucker (''Catostomus commersonii)'' is a species of freshwater cypriniform fish inhabiting the upper Midwest and Northeast in North America, but it is also found as far south as Georgia and as far west as New Mexico. The fish is commonl ...

, 16 of which were observed. Additionally, eight quillback carpsuckers, five largemouth bass, four

rock bass The rock bass (''Ambloplites rupestris''), also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, red eye, and black perch, is a freshwater fish native to east-central North America. This red eyed creature is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish fa ...

, three

bluntnose minnow :''"Bluntnose minnows" is also used for the genus '' Pimephales'' as a whole.'' The bluntnose minnow (''Pimephales notatus)'' is a species of temperate freshwater fish belonging to the genus '' Pimephales'' of the cyprinid family. Its natural geog ...

s, three

common carp The Eurasian carp or European carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), widely known as the common carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Arkive The ...

, two

fathead minnow Fathead minnow (''Pimephales promelas''), also known as fathead or tuffy, is a species of temperate freshwater fish belonging to the genus ''Pimephales'' of the cyprinid family. The natural geographic range extends throughout much of North Ameri ...

s, and a single

green sunfish The green sunfish (''Lepomis cyanellus'') is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. A panfish popular with anglers, the green sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists. They are us ...

. An

electrofishing Electrofishing is a fishing technique that uses direct current electricity flowing between a submerged cathode and anode. This affects the movements of nearby fish so that they swim toward the anode, where they can be caught or stunned.

survey done by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission on Lake Chillisquaque discovered 54 walleyes from long and 48 largemouth bass from .

Plants

Twelve

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

species have been observed near Lake Chillisquaque. These include two

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

species, two

maple ''Acer'' () is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated since http ...

spaces,

red elm ''Ulmus rubra'', the slippery elm, is a species of elm native to eastern North America. Other common names include red elm, gray elm, soft elm, moose elm, and Indian elm. Description ''Ulmus rubra'' is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a spre ...

boxelder ''Acer negundo'', the box elder, boxelder maple, Manitoba maple or ash-leaved maple, is a species of maple native to North America. It is a fast-growing, short-lived tree with opposite, compound leaves. It is sometimes considered a weedy or inv ...

shagbark hickory ''Carya ovata'', the shagbark hickory, is a common hickory in the Eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large, deciduous tree, growing well over tall, and can live more than 350 years. The tallest measured shagbark, located in Sa ...

black tupelo ''Nyssa sylvatica'', commonly known as tupelo, black tupelo, black gum or sour gum, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America from the coastal Northeastern United States and southern Ontario south to central Florida and e ...

American basswood ''Tilia americana'' is a species of tree in the family Malvaceae, native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Oklahoma, southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to ...

, eastern hop-hornbeam,

black ash Black ash is a common name for several plants and may refer to: * '' Acer negundo'', native to North America * ''Fraxinus nigra'', native to North America * ''Eucalyptus sieberi ''Eucalyptus sieberi'', commonly known as the silvertop ash or bl ...

, and musclewood. Ten

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

species also grow near the lake. These include three

dogwood ''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or shrub ...

species, two

holly ''Ilex'' (), or holly, is a genus of over 570 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. ''Ilex'' has the most species of any woody dioecious angiosperm genus. The species are evergreen o ...

species,

multiflora rose ''Rosa multiflora'' — ( syn. ''Rosa polyantha'') is a species of rose known commonly as multiflora rose, baby rose, Japanese rose, many-flowered rose, seven-sisters rose, Eijitsu rose and rambler rose. It is native to eastern Asia, in China, ...

, Morrow's honeysuckle,

speckled alder ''Alnus incana'', the grey alder or speckled alder, is a species of multi-stemmed, shrubby tree in the birch family, with a wide range across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Tolerant of wetter soils, it can slowly spread with runners ...

spicebush Dried fruits of ''Lindera neesiana'' used as spice (coll. MHNT) ''Lindera'' is a genus of about 80–100mayberry. Eighteen species of

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

s live on the lake, as well. Five of these species are

sedge The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' wit ...

Cattail ''Typha'' is a genus of about 30 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. These plants have a variety of common names, in British English as bulrush or reedmace, in American English as reed, cattail, or punks, in A ...

s and beds of

grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...

grow along the shores of Lake Chillisquaque. Additionally, a sizable population of '' Rotala ramosior'' grows on the lake.

Microbes

Various types of

cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria (), also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of gram-negative bacteria that obtain energy via photosynthesis. The name ''cyanobacteria'' refers to their color (), which similarly forms the basis of cyanobacteria's common name, blu ...

inhabit Lake Chillisquaque. The specific genera that inhabit the lake vary at different times of the year and also at different depths within the lake. Due to the presence of light attenuation in the lake, light plays a role in determining which species of cyanobacteria inhabit it. In September 2009, the most common type of microbe on the surface of Lake Chillisquaque was ''

Oscillatoria ''Oscillatoria'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacterium which is often found in freshwater environments, such as hot springs, and appears blue-green. Its name refers to the oscillating motion of its filaments as they slide against each other ...

'', which made up approximately 75 percent of the total. ''Raphidiopsis'' was the second most common type, making up approximately 15 percent of the total. In May 2010, approximately 40 percent of the microbes were ''

Navicula ''Navicula'' is a genus of boat-shaped diatom algae, comprising over 1,200 species. ''Navicula'' is Latin for "small ship", and also a term in English for a boat-shaped incense-holder. Diatoms — eukaryotic, primarily aquatic, single-cell ...

'' and 35 percent were ''Oscillatoria''. Slightly less than 10 percent of the microbes are ''

Anabaena ''Anabaena'' is a genus of filamentous cyanobacteria that exist as plankton. They are known for nitrogen-fixing abilities, and they form symbiotic relationships with certain plants, such as the mosquito fern. They are one of four genera of cyanob ...

''. In July 2010, ''Oscillatoria'' and ''

Synechococcus ''Synechococcus'' (from the Greek ''synechos'', in succession, and the Greek ''kokkos'', granule) is a unicellular cyanobacterium that is very widespread in the marine environment. Its size varies from 0.8 to 1.5 µm. The photosynthetic c ...

'' each made up approximately 25 percent of the microbes and between 10 and 15 percent were ''Anabaena''. Slightly less than 60 percent of the microbes under the surface of Lake Chillisquaque were of the genus ''Oscillatoria'' in September 2009. Slightly more than 10 percent each of the microbes were of the genera '' Xylophilus'' and ''Verrucomicrobium''. In May 2010, slightly less than 40 percent of the microbes in the depths of the lake were of the genus '' Dolichospermum''. The genera ''Synechococcus'', ''Navicula'', and ''Xylophilus'' each made up approximately 20 percent of the microbes. In July 2010, nearly 85 percent of the microbes were of the genus ''Xylophilus'' and less than 10 percent were of the genus ''Oscillatoria''.

Recreation

Fishing, including

ice fishing Ice fishing is the practice of catching fish with lines and fish hooks or spears through an opening in the ice on a frozen body of water. Ice fishers may fish in the open or in heated enclosures, some with bunks and amenities. Shelters Longer ...

, is a common pastime on Lake Chillisquaque.

Fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

and

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether Motorboat, powerboats, Sailing, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sp ...

are permitted on the lake at any time of day, although boats fueled by

gasoline Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic co ...

are forbidden. Boating of any kind is also forbidden annually between March 15 and April 30 and is also forbidden in Goose Cove year round. The only area for boating access on the lake is on the eastern side of the lake, at the Heron Cove Boat Access Area. The

paddling Paddling with regard to watercraft is the act of manually propelling a boat using a paddle. The paddle, which consists of one or two blades joined to a shaft, is also used to steer the vessel. The paddle is not connected to the boat (unlike in r ...

and

running Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...

stages of the Chilli Challenge

triathlon A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of Swimming (sport), swimming, Cycle sport, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the t ...

are on Lake Chillisquaque and the Chillisuagi Trail, respectively. Lake Chillisquaque is surrounded by a thousand-acre

known as the Montour Preserve, which is also owned by the PPL. A 148-acre

wildlife refuge A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

is also located near the lake. A pair of

hiking trails A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

known as the Chillisuagi Trail and the Ridgefield Point Trail circumnavigate the lake. Their combined length is . The latter trail is not

blazed Trail blazing or way marking is the practice of marking paths in outdoor recreational areas with signs or markings that follow each other at certain, though not necessarily exactly defined, distances and mark the direction of the trail. A bla ...

. The Chillisuagi Trail is wide and fairly flat for part of its length, but is hillier near Goose Cove. On the eastern side of the lake, the trail stays close to the shoreline, but it passes through

field Field may refer to: Expanses of open ground * Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes * Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport * Battlefield * Lawn, an area of mowed grass * Meadow, a grass ...

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non-woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artifi ...

s, and

s on the western side. The scenery on Lake Chillisquauque is described as "good to very good" by Jeff Mitchell in his book ''Paddling Pennsylvania: Canoeing and Kayaking the Keystone State's Rivers and Lakes''. The lake is one of 18 lakes in Pennsylvania with Panfish Enhancement Special Regulations.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chillisquaque Bodies of water of Montour County, Pennsylvania Reservoirs in Pennsylvania