Randleman Lake 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 ...
on the
Deep River in
Randolph and
Guilford Counties in central
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 ...
, extending from just northwest of
Randleman to east of
High Point. The lake was created in 2004 with the construction of the Randleman Lake Dam. The lake was created to satisfy the drinking water needs of the greater Greensboro area for the next 50 years, as well as to provide recreational opportunity.
History
The lake is in the
Cape Fear River
The Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The river is formed at the confluence of the Haw River and the Deep River (North Carol ...
basin and was originally proposed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in 1937. Congress first authorized funds in 1968, $11 million. By 1980, only preliminary studies had been done and the estimated cost was $135 million. Later, in 1987, the US Army Corps of Engineers withdrew support for the project because the "cost of the Randleman Dam would outweigh the flood control benefits of building it".
Later that same year, the local Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority (PTRWA) proposed a smaller reservoir, with a $57 million price tag, which used 40% less land. Over the next several years, environmental impact statements were offered by the PTRWA, with the final Federal Environmental Impact Statement for the Randleman Lake Project being issued in 2000. On April 6, 2001, the USACE issued a permit to allow construction, which began on August 7 of the same year. On March 1, 2010 the lake officially opened to public recreation.
Drinking water
The lake's primary purpose is to provide drinking water for
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
. This is to be accomplished by treating the raw water in a new water treatment plant in
High Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city in the Piedmont Triad region of the U.S. state of North Carolina. Most of the city is in Guilford County, with parts extending into Randolph, Davidson, and Forsyth counties. High Point is North Carolina's only city that ...
, southwest of Greensboro. The City of Greensboro started receiving treated water from Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority on October 4, 2010.
Recreation
Fishing and sailing is permitted in most areas of the lake.
Personal watercraft are not allowed, nor sailboats with main masts over in height. Because it is a government run facility for the purpose of providing drinking water, boats are not allowed overnight and other significant restrictions apply to fueling boats within the area. There is a lake-wide speed limit of for all boats. North of the Highway 62 bridge, no gasoline or liquid fueled motors are allowed at all.
Randleman Lake Recreation
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References
External links
Official Heart of North Carolina Visitors Information Web SitePiedmont Triad Regional Water Authourity Randleman Lake
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Randleman
Protected areas of Randolph County, North Carolina
Protected areas of Guilford County, North Carolina
Bodies of water of Randolph County, North Carolina
Bodies of water of Guilford County, North Carolina
2004 establishments in North Carolina