Wheeler Lake is located in the northern part of the state of
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 ...
in the
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 ...
, between
Rogersville and
Huntsville
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 th ...
. Created by
Wheeler Dam
Wheeler Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Tennessee River between Lauderdale County and Lawrence County in Alabama. It is one of nine dams on the river owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the mid-1930s as ...
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, ...
, it stretches from Wheeler Dam to
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 pa ...
. It is Alabama's second largest lake at , and only a few hundred acres smaller than the largest lake in Alabama,
Guntersville Lake
Guntersville Lake (generally referred to locally as Lake Guntersville) is in northern Alabama between Bridgeport and Guntersville.
Location
The lake stretches 75 miles (121 km) from Guntersville Dam to Nickajack Dam. It is Alabama's larges ...
, which is and is separated by the Guntersville dam from the lake.
Decatur operates the busiest port along the Tennessee River on this lake,
Port of Decatur
The Port of Decatur is a transshipment port on the Tennessee River, in the city of Decatur, Alabama, United States of America. The port was founded in 1971.
Port facilities
Port facilities include Intermodal freight transport, intermodal tran ...
.
Wheeler Lake is a major recreation and tourist center, attracting about four million visits a year. Along with camping, boating, and fishing, visitors enjoy the
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge is a 35,000 acre (142 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located along the Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama. Named after Major General Joseph Wheeler, it was established to provide a habitat for wintering ...
several miles upstream from the dam.
The lake and dam are named for
General Joseph "Joe" Wheeler.
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 Wheeler LakeLargemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass and crappie.
Reservoirs in Alabama
Tennessee River
Decatur, Alabama
Bodies of water of Morgan County, Alabama
Bodies of water of Limestone County, Alabama
Bodies of water of Lawrence County, Alabama
Bodies of water of Lauderdale County, Alabama
Tennessee Valley Authority
Decatur metropolitan area, Alabama
Huntsville-Decatur, AL Combined Statistical Area
Landmarks in Alabama
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