Guntersville Lake (generally referred to locally as Lake Guntersville) is in northern
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
between
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the fifth-most populous in New England. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnoc ...
and
Guntersville.
Location
The lake stretches 75 miles (121 km) from Guntersville Dam to
Nickajack Dam. It is Alabama's largest
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
at
69,100 acres (279.6 km2).
It is separated by the Guntersville Dam from
Wheeler Lake
Wheeler Lake is located in the northern part of the state of Alabama in the United States, between Rogersville and Huntsville. Created by Wheeler Dam along the Tennessee River, it stretches from Wheeler Dam to Guntersville Dam. It is Alabama's ...
, which is 68,300 acres (276.4 km
2) and the second largest lake. Both lakes are part of the Tennessee River.
History
The lake was created by
Guntersville Dam
Guntersville Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River in Marshall County, in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is one of nine dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the late 1930s as p ...
along the
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names, ...
. Both the lake and the dam received their names from the town of Guntersville, which received its name from an early settler of the area,
John Gunter.
As far back as 1824, the Tennessee River was a nationwide inland waterway problem. With narrow canals, increased traffic, and larger freight carriers, in addition to flooding problems and sparse electricity, it was clear that a successful river development program should embrace power, navigation and flood control.
The
Tennessee Valley Act called for development of 640 miles of Tennessee River from Paducah, Kentucky to Knoxville, Tennessee. Since many of the earliest settlers built their homes along the river, many Guntersville area families and farms were displaced. Alabama's largest archeological project excavated dozens of Indian sites before the area was flooded in January 1939.
As a result of the Tennessee Valley Act and the creation of the lake, Guntersville has seen improved agriculture, energy, industry and recreation. Known for its hiking, camping, fishing, boating activities and scenery, Alabama's Lake City is repeatedly noted as a top spot for bass fishing and one of the top lake towns
to live in America.
In the 1950s, German scientists brought to the United States under
Operation Paperclip
Operation Paperclip was a secret United States intelligence program in which more than 1,600 German scientists, engineers, and technicians were taken from the former Nazi Germany to the U.S. for government employment after the end of World War ...
who lived in
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city in Madison County, Limestone County, and Morgan County, Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Madison County. Located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama, Huntsville is the most populous city in t ...
purchased houses by the lake.
See also
*
Dams and reservoirs of the Tennessee River
The Tennessee Valley Authority operates the Tennessee River system to provide a wide range of public benefits: year-round navigation, flood damage reduction, affordable electricity, improved water quality and water supply, recreation, and economi ...
*
List of Alabama dams and reservoirs
This article lists the dams and reservoirs in Alabama. In 2015, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated that the state has about 2,271 dams.
Reservoirs and manmade lakes with known dams
See also
* List of dams and reservoirs in the United S ...
References
External links
Fishing Guntersville LakeLargemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Black Crappie and Catfish.
Bodies of water of Jackson County, Alabama
Bodies of water of Marshall County, Alabama
Reservoirs in Alabama
Tennessee River
Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area
Tennessee Valley Authority
Landmarks in Alabama
{{MarshallCountyAL-geo-stub