Lake Wylie is a

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 ...

or man-made lake in the U.S. states of

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

and

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

. The lake has a surface area of 13,400 acres (54.2 km²) (20.9 mi²) (5420 ha) and features of shoreline.

History

The man-made lake was first formed when the

Catawba Power Company Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Overview Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation in ...

built the Catawba Dam and Power Plant near India Hook, South Carolina in 1904. This

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

impounded the

Catawba River The Catawba River originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into ...

and created Lake Catawba, which was utilized to create

hydro-electric power 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 an ...

. In 1905, the Catawba Power Company became part of the Southern Power Company. In 1924, the Southern Power Company raised the level of the dam and built the new Catawba Hydroelectric Station to replace the original. This facility opened in August 1925, increasing the surface area of Lake Catawba from 668 acres (2.70 km²) to 13,400 acres (54.2 km²). The Southern Power Company was merged with

Duke Power Company Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Overview Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation in ...

in 1927. In October 1960, the power station was renamed the Wylie Hydroelectric Station, and the lake was renamed Lake Wylie in honor of W. Gil Wylie, one of the founders of the original Catawba Power Company that had created the lake and become Duke Power.

Other information

Lake Wylie's location on both the South Carolina and North Carolina borders makes it a common recreational destination for residents of nearby cities including

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

Fort Mill Fort Mill, also known as Fort Mill Township, is a town in York County, South Carolina, United States. It is a suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina. As of 2020 census, 24,521 people live inside the town's corporate limits. Some businesses and resid ...

, and Rock Hill.

Duke Power Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Overview Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation in ...

manages six public boat access areas on the lake. There are also two towns that are located on Lake Wylie, including Tega Cay and

Lake Wylie Lake Wylie is a reservoir or man-made lake in the U.S. states of South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of 13,400 acres (54.2 km2) (20.9 mi2) (5420 ha) and features of shoreline. History The man-made lake was first f ...

. Lake Wylie is one of 11 lakes on the

and is the oldest lake in the Catawba River basin, with water being moved around each lake on the chain system through Duke Power. The lake has a surface area of approximately 13,443 acres (54.361 km²) with of shoreline, and stretches from the Mountain Island Dam, south of

Mountain Island Lake Mountain Island Lake is a lake northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina created in 1924 to coincide with the building of Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station. It is named after the mountain which appears as an island in the lake, and the surrounding ...

in North Carolina to the Wylie Dam on the south end of the lake. The average depth of the lake is just over 20 feet. The Catawba Nuclear Generating Station is located on the south-western part of the lake, and draws its cooling water from the lake. Allen Steam Station located on the northern part of the lake (west of Charlotte) also draws its cooling water from the lake. The South Fork River and Catawba River confluence is now submerged under Lake Wylie near the North Carolina/South Carolina state line.

References

External links

Boat Rentals on Lake Wylie
Lake Wylie Boat Rentals {{authority control Protected areas of Gaston County, North Carolina Protected areas of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Reservoirs in North Carolina Reservoirs in South Carolina Protected areas of York County, South Carolina Duke Energy dams Bodies of water of Gaston County, North Carolina Bodies of water of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Bodies of water of York County, South Carolina 1904 establishments in North Carolina 1904 establishments in South Carolina Catawba River

History

Other information

See also

References

External links