Lake Champlain
| Lake Champlain | |
|---|---|
In 2018 | |
Lake Champlain | |
| Location | New York/Vermont in the United States; and Quebec in Canada |
| Coordinates | 44°32′N 73°20′W / 44.53°N 73.33°W |
| Primary inflows | Otter Creek, Winooski River, Missisquoi River, Poultney River, Lamoille River, Ausable River, Chazy River, Boquet River, Saranac River, La Chute River |
| Primary outflows | Richelieu River |
| Catchment area | 8,234 sq mi (21,326 km2) |
| Basin countries | Canada, United States |
| Max. length | 107 mi (172 km) |
| Max. width | 14 mi (23 km) |
| Surface area | 514 sq mi (1,331 km2) |
| Average depth | 64 ft (10.7 fathoms; 19.5 m) |
| Max. depth | 400 ft (67 fathoms; 120 m) |
| Water volume | 6.2 cu mi (25.8 km3) |
| Residence time | 3.3 years |
| Shore length1 | 587 mi (945 km) |
| Surface elevation | 95 to 100 ft (29 to 30 m) |
| Islands | 80 (Grand Isle, North Hero, Isle La Motte, see list) |
| Settlements | Burlington, Vermont; Plattsburgh, New York |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Champlain (/ʃæmˈpleɪn/ sham-PLAYN; French: Lac Champlain, pronounced [lak ʃɑ̃plɛ̃] ⓘ) is a large natural freshwater lake in North America. With a length of 107 mi (172 km) and surface area over 500 sq mi (1,295 km2), it lies mostly between the U.S. states of New York and Vermont, but also extends north into the Canadian province of Quebec.
Burlington, Vermont, and Plattsburgh, New York, are the largest settlements on the lake, and towards the south lies the historic Fort Ticonderoga in New York. The Quebec portion is in the regional county municipalities of Le Haut-Richelieu and Brome-Missisquoi. There are numerous islands in the lake; the largest include Grand Isle, Isle La Motte and North Hero: all part of Grand Isle County, Vermont. Because of its connections both to the St. Lawrence Seaway via the Richelieu River, and to the Hudson River via the Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain is sometimes referred to as "The Sixth Great Lake".
The coastline is relatively undeveloped and hosts several state parks, including North Hero and Button Bay in Vermont, and Cumberland Bay in New York. Much of New York's shoreline is located within the larger Adirondack Park. The lake is a significant part of local culture, especially Champ, a lake monster that allegedly resides there.