Belews Lake
Encyclopedia
Belews Lake is a reservoir
in Stokes
, Rockingham
, Guilford
and Forsyth
counties of North Carolina
, near the towns of Stokesdale
and Pine Hall
. It was created in 1973 by the Duke Energy
corporation to provide cooling water for the corporation's Belews Creek Steam Station
, a coal-burning power plant.
The lake has a surface area of 3864 acres (16 km²) and an 88 miles (142 km) shoreline. It is held back by a rolled earth dam
and a concrete
spillway
. The northern portion of the lake commonly has depths of over 100 feet (30.5 m) and the lake reaches up to 130 feet (40 m) deep in the vicinity of the dam. There is no hydroelectric power generation at this dam, so the lake is not bound by many FERC regulations.
It was formed from Belews Creek, a small tributary of the Dan River
. U.S. Route 158
and North Carolina Highway 65
, as well as a number of secondary roads provide access to the lake. Boating
and water skiing
are common on the lake.
Two marinas on the lake include Humphrey's Ridge, which has a grill that serves food, and Carolina Marina, which has boat sales and service facilities.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
in Stokes
Stokes County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 44,711 people, 17,579 households, and 13,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 19,262 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
, Rockingham
Rockingham County, North Carolina
Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 93,643. Its county seat is Wentworth.- History :The county was formed in 1785 from Guilford County...
, Guilford
Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In 2010, the Census Bureau estimated the county's population to be 491,230. Its seat is Greensboro. Since 1938, an additional county court has been located in High Point, North Carolina, making Guilford one of only a handful...
and Forsyth
Forsyth County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 306,067 people, 123,851 households, and 81,741 families residing in the county. The population density was 747 people per square mile . There were 133,093 housing units at an average density of 325 per square mile...
counties of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, near the towns of Stokesdale
Stokesdale, North Carolina
Stokesdale is a town in the northwestern corner of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,267 at the 2000 census. Belews Lake is located nearby.-Geography:Stokesdale is located at ....
and Pine Hall
Pine Hall, North Carolina
Pine Hall is an unincorporated community in Stokes County, North Carolina, United States, approximately ten miles southwest of county seat Danbury, near Belews Lake....
. It was created in 1973 by the Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...
corporation to provide cooling water for the corporation's Belews Creek Steam Station
Belews Creek Steam Station
Belews Creek Steam Station is a 2.24-GW, two-unit coal-fired generating facility located on Belews Lake in Stokes County, North Carolina. It is Duke Energy’s largest coal-burning power plant in the Carolinas and consistently ranks among the most efficient coal facilities in the United States...
, a coal-burning power plant.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
and a concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
. The northern portion of the lake commonly has depths of over 100 feet (30.5 m) and the lake reaches up to 130 feet (40 m) deep in the vicinity of the dam. There is no hydroelectric power generation at this dam, so the lake is not bound by many FERC regulations.
It was formed from Belews Creek, a small tributary of the Dan River
Dan River
The Dan River flows in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It originates in Patrick County, Virginia, and crosses the state border into Stokes County, North Carolina. It then flows into Rockingham County. From there it goes back into Virginia. It reenters North Carolina near the...
. U.S. Route 158
U.S. Route 158
U.S. Route 158 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Mocksville to Nags Head, entirely in the U.S. state of North Carolina.-Route description:...
and North Carolina Highway 65
North Carolina Highway 65
North Carolina Highway 65 is an east-west highway in North Carolina north of Winston-Salem and Greensboro.N.C. 65's eastern terminus is Reidsville. Heading west, the highway passes through Stokesdale, Walnut Cove, Germanton, and to its western terminus just south of Rural Hall....
, as well as a number of secondary roads provide access to the lake. Boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
and water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
are common on the lake.
Two marinas on the lake include Humphrey's Ridge, which has a grill that serves food, and Carolina Marina, which has boat sales and service facilities.