York Town Square

Part of the USAToday Network

How should the newest lake in York County be used?

No, this is not Crater Lake in the Northwest. It sits in West Manchester Township, in a former quarry. In other places, abandoned quarries have been used as amusement parks, recreational lakes, nature preserves and botanical gardens. What do you think should be done with this new lake? Also of interest: Were the Welsh quarrymen from York County, Pa.’s, Delta-Peach Bottom region big readers? and Private, public interests built Lake Marburg for manufacturing, recreation.

The headline on Sunday’s York Daily Record/Sunday News story nicely summed up York County’s newest body of water: “Old W. Manchester Twp. quarry gets its fill — it’s now among the county’s larger lakes”.

A played-out quarry was allowed to fill with water, and we have a new lake.

This is an opportunity – for something.

And this is no small body of water.

Here are some stats put forth by the story:

Depth: 200 feet. The York County Judicial Center is 155 feet tall.

Volume: Enough water to fill more than 14 Olympic-sized pools.

Acreage: The 77-acre lake could hold 14 Sovereign Bank stadiums.

Comparison: Lake Marburg (Codorus State Park), 1,275 acres; Lake Redman, 290 acres; Lake Williams, 200 acres; Pinchot Lake,  340 acres.

That’s a big lake.

A potential source for clean drinking water. An immense wetlands for wildlife.

As I said, an opportunity.

Ideas?

Also of interest:

This Smoketown sits on a York County lake floor.

The new lake on Hokes Mill Road in West Manchester Township as pictured earlier this month.

Photos by York Daily Record/Sunday News