Did you know we have a bottomless pond in Connecticut? Well, it's not literally bottomless, as, of course, it does have a bottom somewhere down there. But Jobs Pond in Portland, Connecticut is something of a scientific mystery. The water levels often fluctuate dramatically, for seemingly no reason at all. Some believe a local legend that says the pond has no bottom. Others claim that there is an underground river that affects the water level. But the real answer as to why these seemingly random fluctuations happen is a bit more complicated. Read on to find out more about this supposedly bottomless pond in Connecticut.
The 32-acre pond is in Middlesex County, around Portland.
It's a residential area with a few houses, and YMCA has a day camp, Camp Ingersoll, that uses the pond for recreational purposes.
It may seem like your typical pond. It's used for swimming, fishing, and it's a great spot for relaxing. All pretty standard stuff.
However, this is actually a pretty weird body of water. The water levels are often at their highest during periods of drought, and at their lowest during particularly rainy periods.
Scientists have found that the water levels fluctuate because the pond is situated in a kettle, a type of hole formed by glacier movements during the Ice Age.
Usually, kettle hole ponds are rarely more than a few dozen feet deep. However, there is typically a thick layer of sand and sediment at the bottom here. Due to the porosity of the sediment, it's especially sensitive to changes in the groundwater levels. This can cause water levels to change seemingly at random.
Of course, that explanation doesn't sound nearly as much fun as the idea of a bottomless pond in Connecticut! Kids at Camp Ingersoll often dare one another to try to touch the bottom.
Jobs Pond may not be truly bottomless, but it sure is an interesting body of water with a lot of legends around it!
Check out this cool drone footage of Jobs Pond from YouTube user water video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abffpdLKtss&t=43s
And if you're looking for more beautiful ponds to visit, check out Black Rock Pond in Watertown -- the clearest pond in Connecticut.
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