Location Gainesville, Florida Primary outflows Prairie Creek Surface area 3,042 ha (7,520 acres) Area 30.42 km² Mean depth 1.5 m Catchment area 308 km² | Type eutrophic Basin countries United States Average depth 1.5 m (4.9 ft) Surface elevation 20 m Volume 0.058 km³ Catchment area 308 km² | |
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Newnans Lake (or Newnan's Lake) is a lake located off State Road 20, east of Gainesville, Florida. Approximately 1.12 miles (2 km) wide, Newnans Lake is home to many forms of wildlife, and had been designated as a protected site by Alachua County. It was earlier known as Lake Pithlachocco.
Map of Newnans Lake, Florida 32641, USA
Before 1927, the lake drained into Paines Prairie through Prairie Creek. That year Camp Ranch built a canal to divert the flow of water to the River Styx and from there to Orange Lake. After the canal, Payne Prairie received significantly less water flow overall.
The lakeside area had sheltered pavilions, a playground, and barbecue grills until the flood of 2007 when most of the lakes natural environment were destroyed. There is little wildlife and most of the trees have died off.
In the Spring and Summer of 2000, a drought revealed canoe remnants. Forty-one of 55 fragments were analyzed through radiocarbon assays, which showed them to date to between 2300 and 5000 B.C. The wood choice and manufacturing techniques were comparable to other Archaic Period Indian Tribes. The discovery led to the site's addition to the National Register of Historic Places in March 2001.