A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature - Walden, Henry David Thoreau
WELCOME
The Crystal Lake Conservancy is a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation and protection of Crystal Lake for the benefit of the public. Our goal is to promote and support the unique natural beauty and recreational enjoyment of the Lake. Activities of the Conservancy involve increasing community awareness of issues related to the Lake, raising funds and promoting environmentally sustainable uses for the Lake and its surroundings through close collaboration with the City of Newton, the residents and other community volunteer efforts. See our mission for a full description. What's New at Crystal Lake?
CLC Board members Liane Hartnett and James Jampol, rowing out with testing equipment, will make 5 stops at points on the lake for measurements and testing (April 2025)
Water Testing has begun for the seasonThe Conservancy has begun water testing for the 2025 season with tests for clarity, temperature, dissolved oxygen (at multiple depths), bacteria and nutrients. Because of the efforts of dedicated board members and volunteers, the Conservancy now has data for 11 seasons and can compare water quality over the years. 2024 was a good year for water quality (in contrast to the algal blooms that afflicted many Massachusetts lakes), and it is our hope that good health will continue. Click here for more details on the Conservancy's Water Testing and Monitoring Program. - including a time series back to 2014.
 Jim Lagacy of MassWildlife demonstrating fishing techniques during last summer's Fish Clinic. Photo by Schuyler Larrabee
Fishing Clinic at Levingston Cove returns on June 5
MassWildlife Fishing Clinic is back by popular demand! Last summer, the Crystal Lake Conservancy invited Jim Lagacy from MassWildlife to run a fishing clinic at Crystal Lake. Attendees learned the basics of fishing and fish biology and practiced skills such as setting up a rod, baiting a hook, tying knots, casting, and identifying fish. It was well attended, and the CLC has arranged for a second clinic to take place on June 5. Stay tuned for details. See photos from last year in the Fishing Clinic Photo Gallery  Dragonfly nymph
Crystal Lake BioBlitz
More than 20 people turned out last summer (August 2024) to learn about the fish, insects, and other invertebrates that inhabit Crystal Lake. As part of this event co-sponsored by Newton Conservators and Crystal Lake Conservancy, Newton Conservators member Jon Regosin gave a tutorial on the iNaturalist app which is used to document species and as an identification aid. Jon helped attendees identify a wide range of species from the shore, including snapping turtle, musk turtle, yellow perch, bluegill, pike/pickerel, dragonfly nymphs and more. BioBlitz events such as this are part of a larger effort by the Newton Conservators to document, and raise awareness about the great diversity of plants and animals that inhabit Newton’s open spaces. 
Newton Conservators and BioBlitz attendees identifying lake inhabitants. Photo by Schuyler Larrabee
Mozart at Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake inspires all sorts of artists, and young musicians are no exception. Click on the link to see students from the New England Conservatory performing Mozart String Quartet Opus 157 (click for youtube link). What talent! What Do the Rules Say About Swimming at Crystal Lake?
1924 Rules by the Parks & Recreation Commission, the 1929 Rules and Regulations from the Playground Commission and a 2004 Summary of the Rules are all listed under Resource Library tab Role of Fall Algae Blooms on the Lake
This past fall there were reports of minor algae blooms in the coves at Crystal Lake and questions about whether blooms were cause for concern or a sign of poor water quality. The Conservancy learned through consultation with city environmental engineers that algae blooms are natural at that time of year; as the temperatures cool and the water table overturns, nutrients upwell to the surface where algae can utilize it. These blooms actually serve an important ecological role in the fall, generally, do not last very long and should be anticipated each year. |
CALLING ALL ARTISTS !
Attention Artists, Photographers, Designers: Please send CLC your images of Crystal Lake. We would love to post your images in our Website Art Gallery. Just email [email protected]
Featured Artists
Daniel Jackson & Andrés Saldaña Go to the ART GALLERY tab for more breathtaking photos and images
First-ever"Movie at the Lake" was a success
There was a large turnout for the first-ever Movie at the Lake held on June 25, co-hosted by Hyde Community Center and Crystal Lake Conservancy. A big thanks also to sponsors Newton Community Pride, Newton Parks Recreation and Culture Department, NewTV, Village Bank and West Newton Cinema Foundation for helping to make it a success. Before the movie The Princess Bride started, we were able to thank and honor State Representative Ruth Balser for her many years of service representing the City of Newton and the interests of Crystal Lake. 
Courtesy of Daniel Jackson (c) 2024
Ribbon-cutting for Levingston Cove Improvements
On November 15, 2023, city officials, community leaders, and neighbors gathered for the ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of the Levingston Cove Improvement project. Features include level walking pathways, a universally accessible new fishing platform, seating areas, major storm water management improvements and new native plants.
Solar Irradiance at Crystal Lake
As is done regularly as part of CLC's stewardship of the lake, Board member Liane Hartnett completed water testing in June 2023 and discovered that water temperature in the lake was already 72 F (22.4 C). Although this seems high given a generally cold June, Board member Frank Bachner offers an explanation: The dominant source of heating for the Lake is from solar irradiance during the day, and the dominant mode of cooling is radiational cooling at night. The average solar irradiance for MA in May and June is about 6 kW h/m sq or ~5,000,000 cal/m sq. Assuming an average depth of the lake of 5m, that’s enough energy to raise the temperature of the Lake about one degree Celsius per day. Only a fraction of the solar radiation is absorbed by the water and some of that energy is radiated back into the night sky, but absorption is enough to raise temperature by one or two tenths degree Celsius rise in temperature per day. 
Signs for Crystal Lake Watershed
You may have noticed colorful signs dotting the streets surrounding the lake. If you see a sign, this means that you are in the Crystal Lake watershed and that water drains to the lake from these areas either directly or via storm drains. These signs came about as a result of a collaborative effort between city officials including the Parks & Recreation department and the Crystal Lake Conservancy. The signs show activities to avoid when in the watershed so that Crystal Lake can continue to be a viable and beautiful natural resource in the coming years. Read more... Ice Out at Crystal Lake
The time at which the ice melts from northern lakes is a significant marker of passage from a long winter season to an invariably short spring and summer. Historically, the dates of freezing of lakes in New England have been memorialized since activities such as ice fishing, ice skating, and passage by snowmobile depend on a solidly frozen lake. Read about the trends and science in the full paper by Srdjan Nedeljkovic.  Bass Spawning Bed
What Kind of Fish Live in Crystal Lake? by Lianne Hartnett & Frank Bachner
You may have walked by Crystal Lake and seen people fishing in Levingston Cove on the new fishing platform built as part of the renovation of the Cove. What type of fish do people expect to catch here? One common type of fish is the Bluegill, also called sunfish. They spawn in Crystal Lake and when the temperature reaches around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the male fish construct spawning beds in shallow water. Their beds are circular cleared out areas of sand, and some fishermen say that fish are easy to catch on the spawning beds because they are aggressive. Click here to learn about all fish types! Crystal Lake Conservancy
P.O. Box 610038 Newton Highlands, MA 02461 [email protected] The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) organization |
