| Lake Chaffee | |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Connecticut |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within Connecticut |
| Location: | Ashford, Connecticut, United States of America |
| Coords: | 41.9389°N -72.1944°W |
| Type: | Artificial |
| Inflow: | Intermittent streams, runoff |
| Outflow: | Chaffee Brook |
| Catchment: | 284acres |
| Basin Countries: | United States of America (Connecticut) |
| Agency: | Lake Chaffee Improvement Association |
| Area: | 54acres |
| Depth: | 6feet |
| Max-Depth: | 11feet |
| Residence Time: | Nearly six months |
| Shore: | 8400feet (excluding islands) |
| Elevation: | 856feet |
| Frozen: | December through March (most winters) |
| Islands: | 2 |
| Reference: | [1] |
Lake Chaffee is a small, shallow, man-made lake located approximately 2miles northwest of the hamlet of Westford in the town of Ashford in Windham County, northeastern Connecticut. The lake has an area of and a maximum depth of . Its average surface elevation is above sea level.[1]
Lake Chaffee was formed sometime prior to 1934 by damming a small stream named Chaffee Brook. Before the dam was built, wetlands existed where the pond is now.[1]
Lake Chaffee's inflows consist of several intermittent small streams and runoff, and its outlet is Chaffee Brook, which flows east to the Mount Hope River. The lake's waters are held back by a 300adj=midNaNadj=mid earthen dam; Chaffee Brook exits the lake via a 10adj=midNaNadj=mid concrete spillway in the middle of this dam. Lake Chaffee's watershed is approximately in area. It takes nearly six months for the lake's water to be completely exchanged. The lake has approximately of shoreline, disregarding the lake's two islands.[1]
Today, Lake Chaffee is surrounded by a high-density area of houses which overlook the water. The houses are part of the Lake Chaffee census-designated place for statistical purposes.
Lake Chaffee is home to two beaches and a boat launch, which are open to lake residents. Swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and skating are popular activities on the lake. Use of gasoline-powered engines is not permitted on, over, or above Lake Chaffee.[1]
Lake Chaffee is an excellent fishery, with a healthy population of largemouth bass, black crappie, chain pickerel, and yellow perch. The largemouth bass average in the two-pound class, with larger fish in the four- to six-pound class being common.[2]
Lake Chaffee is home to abundant aquatic vegetation, which occasionally must be harvested to enable recreational activities.