| Lake Francis | |
|---|---|
 Lake Francis as seen fromU.S. Route 3 along its northern shore | |
  Lake Francis  Lake Francis | |
| Location | Coos County, New Hampshire |
| Coordinates | 45°2′24″N71°19′48″W / 45.04000°N 71.33000°W /45.04000; -71.33000 |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Etymology | Francis P. Murphy |
| Primary inflows | Connecticut River |
| Primary outflows | Connecticut River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 5.4 mi (8.7 km) |
| Max. width | 1.3 mi (2.1 km) |
| Surface area | 1,934 acres (783 ha) |
| Average depth | 40 feet (12 m) |
| Max. depth | 82 feet (25 m) |
| Surface elevation | 1,379 ft (420 m) |
| Settlements | Pittsburg;Clarksville |
Lake Francis is areservoir on theConnecticut River in northernNew Hampshire, United States. The lake is located inCoos County, east of the village ofPittsburg and along the boundary between the towns of Pittsburg andClarksville. The lake is impounded byMurphy Dam, built in 1940 as aflood control project.[1] The 117-foot (36 m) earthen dam is owned by the Water Division of the state's Department of Environmental Services, and is operated byTC Energy (formerly TransCanada Corporation).[2][3]
Lake Francis and Murphy Dam are named afterFrancis P. Murphy,[4] who served as theGovernor of New Hampshire from 1937 to 1941. The lake covers nearly 2,000 acres (8 km2), has a capacity of 131,375acre-feet (162,049,000 m3),[1] and has average and maximum depths of 40 feet (12 m) and 82 feet (25 m), respectively.[5]
The lake is classified as a coldwater fishery, with observed species includingrainbow trout,brown trout,landlocked salmon,lake trout, andchain pickerel.[5] There are two public boat launch locations,[1] andice fishing is permitted from January through March.[1]
Lake Francis State Park is located on the northeast side of the lake, where the Connecticut River flows in. North of Lake Francis isBack Lake, whileFirst Connecticut Lake (one of a series of fourConnecticut Lakes that serve as the headwaters of the Connecticut River) lies to the northeast.
