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?
Unusual Goose Spotted at Crystal Lake
Most people ignore the numerous Canada Geese that are often found on Crystal Lake, but in January many birders were scanning the water to see an unusual goose that was flocking with the Canada Geese. The goose, called a Barnacle Goose, is native to Europe and usually spends winters in Ireland or the UK. In the summers, they migrate to Iceland, Greenland or northern Russia to breed. Click here to read the full story! 
Levingston Cove Improvements
What's going on at Levingston Cove?!? Browse the Levingston Cove Improvement Fact Sheet or go to the City of Newton website 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. Benches To be Donated at Crystal Lake by family of Preston Settles
February 27, 2023 is a year to the day after Newton teenager Preston Settles died after collapsing on the court during a basketball game. Preston loved to fish and In his memory, his family will be donating benches and trees in Newton at Crystal Lake near the new fishing dock. |
Has Water Quality at Crystal Lake Declined Over Years?The attractiveness of Crystal Lake for uses of all kinds has continued to grow, with record numbers of people enjoying the lake in recent years – a growth accentuated by COVID as people wanted to cool off in outdoor, socially-distanced way.
The good news is that the CLC monitoring program has shown no deterioration in water quality since the early part of the last decade. We venture out in a rowboat from April through November to test for temperature, clarity, dissolved oxygen, E. Coli and Enterococci and nutrients (the latter three contracted out to a lab). Click here for full details 
What Are These Signs in My Neighborhood?
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... 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 Crystal Lake Conservancy
P.O. Box 610038 Newton Highlands, MA 02461 Crystallakeconservancy@gmail.com The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) organization |