Overview
Candlewood Lake is a roughly 5,420-acre pumped-storage reservoir in Fairfield and Litchfield counties—Connecticut's largest lake—bordering Danbury, Brookfield, New Fairfield, New Milford, and Sherman. Completed in 1928 for the Rocky River Project, it stores Housatonic River water pumped uphill at the Rocky River Station and returns it for hydropower. The lake and generating facilities are operated by FirstLight Power under a FERC license, with the Candlewood Lake Authority coordinating local recreation and shoreline issues.
With about 65 miles of shoreline (including islands), an average depth near 40 feet, and a maximum depth of about 90 feet, Candlewood is a long, dendritic highland lake of flooded valleys, rocky points, and heavily developed residential shores. Daily pumped-storage cycling and seasonal drawdowns expose or flood docks and shallow coves more than a typical natural lake would.
The lake is one of Connecticut's busiest recreational waters for boating, swimming, and fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, pickerel, and panfish. Anglers should consult the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for regulations; public ramps and town access points serve the five shoreline communities.
FirstLight manages Candlewood under FERC operating ranges referenced to NGVD29: a normal summer band of about 425.1–427.6 feet (roughly 427.0–429.5 feet on the older CL&P project datum) and winter drawdowns that can reach near 416.1 feet NGVD29. Because pumped-storage generation and seasonal drawdown move the pool several feet, monitoring current lake levels is important for docks, navigation, and fishing throughout the year.
Current Conditions
We don't have enough recent readings to summarize movement for this lake yet.
About This Lake
Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.
Candlewood Lake is a 5,420-acre pumped-storage reservoir managed by FirstLight Power (FERC-licensed pumped-storage operator); Candlewood Lake Authority (recreation). Short-term swings can be dominated by generation and pumping cycles.