
Lake Carnegie was created in 1907 by constructing a concrete overflow dam across the Millstone River in Kingston, NJ. It was built to provide a venue for competitive rowing and boating, which remains its purpose and primary use. The Lake covers 259 acres, and varies in width from approximately 40 feet to over 500 feet at its widest point. It is publicly accessible at several locations and is currently used for rowing competitions and recreation.
The Lake has been dredged for maintenance purposes several times since it was created, most recently in 1972 when approximately 1 million cubic yards of material were removed from the lakebed. Since that dredging was performed 45 years ago, the lake depths have become progressively shallower, with some areas becoming a potential grounding hazard. In addition to mitigating the shoaling issues, deepening the lake improves water quality and enhances habitat for fish, reptiles, and plants. The dredged material provides a source of soil and fill for campus-wide facilities, landscaping, and infrastructure improvements.