Lake Gaston is a

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

in the eastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Part of the lake is in the North Carolina counties of Halifax,

Northampton Northampton () is a market town and civil parish in the East Midlands of England, on the River Nene, north-west of London and south-east of Birmingham. The county town of Northamptonshire, Northampton is one of the largest towns in England; ...

, and

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval A ...

. The part extending into Virginia lies in Brunswick and

Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; nds, label=Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin ...

counties. Lake Gaston is roughly long and covers over , with of shoreline. The area surrounding the lake is home to more than 150,000 residents. The nearest towns are Littleton and

Roanoke Rapids Roanoke Rapids () is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,754 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also an anchor city of the Rocky Mo ...

in North Carolina, and Clarksville and South Hill in Virginia. The lake is not federally owned. It was formed when the Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO) built Gaston Dam on the

Roanoke River The Roanoke River ( ) runs long through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the App ...

to generate electricity for

Dominion Resources Dominion Energy, Inc., commonly referred to as Dominion, is a North American power and energy company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia that supplies electricity in parts of Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and supplies natural gas t ...

, which owns the lake. The dam is located on the North Carolina side and generates electricity for Dominion North Carolina Power, which is the North Carolina operating company of Dominion Resources. The dam includes four

generators, with a total generating capacity of 224 megawatts. Lake Gaston, fed by water from

Kerr Lake Kerr Lake /kɑr/ (officially John H. Kerr Reservoir, also known as Bugg's Island Lake) is a reservoir along the border of the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It is impounded by the John H. Kerr Dam, constructed between 1947 and 1952 ...

upstream, and supplies water to

Roanoke Rapids Lake The Roanoke River ( ) runs long through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the App ...

downstream, a smaller predecessor to Lake Gaston. One of the few areas in the country with three hydroelectric dams in close proximity to one another. Lake Gaston has long been famous for fishing and other water recreations. The lake is a favorite vacation spot because it is close to the

Research Triangle The Research Triangle, or simply The Triangle, are both common nicknames for a metropolitan area in the Piedmont region of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham and the town of Chapel Hill, home to ...

region of North Carolina,

I-85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65, I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with Interstate 95, I ...

, and

I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

. Lake Gaston, built for flood control, hydroelectric power, and recreational enjoyment, includes such activities as fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, and

wakeboarding Wakeboarding is a water sport in which the rider, standing on a wakeboard (a board with foot bindings), is towed behind a motorboat across its wake and especially up off the crest in order to perform aerial maneuvers. A hallmark of wakeboardin ...

Lake level and water management

Lake Gaston differs from many other lakes in that the water levels are strictly regulated through a license with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the United States federal agency that regulates the transmission and wholesale sale of electricity and natural gas in interstate commerce and regulates the transportation of oil by pipeline in ...

(FERC). The license also requires cooperation with the

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

, which manages the upstream feeder lake, Lake Kerr. There are four defined operating conditions for Lake Gaston: * Normal: of elevation * Fish Spawning: of elevation * Flood Control: up to of elevation ( possible in a

100-year flood A 100-year flood is a flood event that has a 1 in 100 chance (1% probability) of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The 100-year flood is also referred to as the 1% flood, since its annual exceedance probability is 1%.Holmes, R.R., Jr. ...

event) * Drought: No lower than feet of elevation As a result of controlled lake levels, fixed docks and boathouses are normal on Lake Gaston.

Lakeside residences

Community association

The Lake Gaston Association (LGA) is a citizens' organization that actively advocates and promotes the interests of households and businesses who own property in the two states and five counties encompassing Lake Gaston. Each of the five counties surrounding Lake Gaston has four volunteer Director positions on the LGA Board, plus one at-large position, for a total of 25 Directors. It is a volunteer, non-profit, nonpartisan, and nonsectarian organization, unified for more significant influence with federal, state, local officials, and agencies that have management authority on and around Lake Gaston.

Real estate

Lake Gaston covers an extended geographical area and is bordered by several towns. Real estate is generally broken up via quadrant, and realtors will use the terms "South-East", "South-West", "North-East", and "North-West" when discussing general location of a property on the lake.

Waterfront construction authority

Generally speaking, no individual owns waterfront property on Lake Gaston. Dominion Power owns the lake and lands up to the "High Water Mark." Real estate, listed with an indicator, tells the buyer how many linear feet of property they would potentially own that abuts to the High Water Mark. This number used to be referred to as the "HWM" on real estate listings, and is now referred to as "DOM". However, Dominion Power does allow for construction of boathouses and other permitted structures through an approval process.

Recreation

Major on-water marinas

By quad: * South-West/Central ** Eaton Ferry Marina (Keel Marinas), Littleton, NC * South-East ** Stonehouse Timber Lodge, Littleton, NC ** Outdoor World, Littleton, NC * North-West ** Holly Grove Marina, Bracey, VA ** Americamps, Bracey VA ** Poplar Point Marine, Bracey, VA * North-East ** Washburn's Marina, Henrico, NC ** Lake Gaston Resort, Gasburg, VA

Marine supply and boat dealers

*Overby Marine, Littleton, NC*Northampton Marine, Henrico, NC*Poplar Point Marine, Bracey, VA*Fred's Boats Sales and Service, Littleton, NC

Boating regulations

The North Carolina part of the lake is controlled by the Wildlife Resources Commission. The Virginia side is regulated by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Fishing & Fishing Regulations

Lake Gaston has been well stocked with game fish which include large mouth bass, crappie, sunfish, stripped bass / rock fish, and a variety of catfish species. You can also find other species of fish such as white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, and sometimes walleye. Lake Gaston is a popular spot for fishing tournaments which can be found throughout the season. A valid fishing license from either North Carolina or Virginia is required for fishing on Lake Gaston but is not required for those under the age of 15. Virginia and North Carolina have a reciprocal license agreement for Lake Gaston, which means that hook-and-line fishing licenses purchased from either North Carolina or Virginia are honored in Lake Gaston. Note: North Carolina fishing regulations apply on North Carolina portions of these waters. Virginia fishing regulations apply in Virginia waters.

Local Media

"Lake the Magazine" is a reflection of life on Lake Gaston and Roanoke Rapids Lake. It is published monthly, connecting people through inspiring, entertaining, and informative content. The distribution includes households in the lake country that subscribe to The Daily Herald, and complimentary copies are available at high profile locations throughout Halifax and Northampton counties. "The Lake Gaston Gazette-Observer," founded in 1955, is owned by Womack Publishing Company, a family-owned community newspaper business based in Chatham, Va. It is published each Wednesday. Other publications include Lake Life magazine, a full-color glossy magazine, published seasonally. The community newspaper has 17,500 readers each week, covers Mecklenburg and Brunswick counties in Virginia and Warren, Northampton, and Halifax counties in North Carolina, including the towns of Littleton and Warrenton in North Carolina and Gasburg and Bracey in Virginia as well as the communities of Henrico, and Ebony. The "Lake Gaston Guide" is a webpage sharing news, weather, fishing, boating/camping, events & entertainment, real estate, maps, and directory information for residents of and visitors to the Lake Gaston Area.

Pipeline

After many years of court battles, a pipeline was established from Lake Gaston to

Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...

to provide water to that coastal community in Virginia.

References

External links

Lake Gaston Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaston Reservoirs in Virginia Reservoirs in North Carolina Roanoke River Bodies of water of Brunswick County, Virginia Bodies of water of Halifax County, North Carolina Bodies of water of Mecklenburg County, Virginia Bodies of water of Northampton County, North Carolina Bodies of water of Warren County, North Carolina Dams in North Carolina United States power company dams