High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Rensselaer Lake is an artificial lake in Albany, New York, United States named for Major-General Stephen Van Rensselaer, last patroon of Rensselaerswyck. The lake was Albany`s first municipally-owned source of water. It is part of a 57 acres (23 ha) park and the state`s Albany Pine Bush Preserve. The lake and park have been under the purview of the Albany Water Authority since 2003.