Twin Lakes (Connecticut)
The Twin Lakes of Salisbury, Connecticut are Lakes Washinee and Washining, whose supposed identities as twins seem in conflict with their dissimilar size and shape. However, they are called the "twin lakes" not because of their size and shape, but because of their namesakes, two daughters of a Mahican chief.[1]
Geography
Lake Washinee is about 1.6 miles (2.6 km) long, and under a quarter mile (0.4 km) wide of except for its squarish roughly 0.5 by 0.6 mile (0.8 by 1.0 km) southernmost section. Its deepest part is around 21 feet (6.4 m).
Lake Washining is much rounder, and roughly 0.9 by 1.3 miles (1.5 by 2 km). It has a maximum depth of 80 feet (24 m). Much of the shore is wetland, but there are some private residences. There is a thermocline that forms around 15 feet (4.6 m).
Twin Lakes is located in Salisbury, Connecticut; approximately five miles away from the Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York border.
The two lakes are separated by an isthmus under 300 feet (100 m) wide, and they maintain the same water level. They are located in the Housatonic Valley in northwestern Connecticut. Near the 'Between the Lakes Road' is located a series of limestone caves, including the Bashful Lady Cave, one of the longest in the state.
History
The original settlers in the area were Mahican Indians, from which the names of the lakes come from. Washinee is translated as "smiling water" and Washining is translated as "laughing water". In the 1720s and 1730s, English and Dutch settled the area and farmed around the banks of the lakes.
In the early 1900s, Camp Isola Bella was built on the island on Lake Washining (East Twin).
The State of Connecticut tried to stock kokanee into East Twin Lake, but the illegal introduction of alewives brought their demise. However, this abundant food supply allows East Twin to produce one of the finest trout fisheries in the state.
The lake is also known as "Similar Lakes", "Dual Lakes", "Replica Lakes", and "Where the Lakes Are the Same".
Fishing
West Twin (Washinee)
East Twin (Washining)
Zebra mussels
Zebra mussels, an invasive species, live in both East and West Twin Lakes. Boaters are advised to use extra caution in inspecting their equipment after using them on these lakes.