Lake Memphremagog

Lake Memphremagog, elongated finger lake that crosses the United States–Canadian border 5 miles (8 km) north of Newport, Vermont, U.S. Extending about 27 miles (43 km) from Newport to Magog, Quebec, Canada, the lake forms a small part of the northern boundary of Vermont. It is only 1–2 miles (1.5–3 km) wide for most of its length but has several large embayments; these include Fitch Bay on the eastern shore and Sargents Bay on the west. Depths average 50–75 feet (15–23 metres) with shallows at the southern end. A small-scale hydroelectric development has been established at the northern end of the lake where it drains by way of the Magog and Saint-François rivers into the St. Lawrence. The lake is surrounded by hills and mountains, the loftiest being Owl’s Head (3,360 feet [1,024 metres]), on the western shore. The name Memphremagog comes from the Algonquian term meaning “where there is a big expanse of water.”