Claytor Lake
Encyclopedia
Claytor Lake in Pulaski County, Virginia
, is a 4,500 acre (18 km²), 21 mile (34 km) long reservoir
on the New River created for a hydroelectric project of Appalachian Power Company
. It is named for W. Graham Claytor
(1886-1971) of Roanoke, Virginia
, a vice president of Appalachian Power who had supervised construction of the dam
and creation of the lake.
Three miles of Claytor Lake's shoreline is bordered by Claytor Lake State Park
, operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
built a dam on the New River, just south of Radford, Virginia
, in 1939. The plant is the largest of the power company's 12 hydroelectric plants, with a total generating capacity of 83,000 kilowatts.
In early 1944, the people of the surrounding area expressed an interest in the establishment of a state park on the new lake. The idea continued to grow and in 1946 private citizens and businesses from Pulaski, Radford and Blacksburg raised the money needed to purchase 437 acres (1.8 km²) from Appalachian Power. This land was given to the state to be developed as Claytor Lake State Park
.
, crosses Claytor Lake, and is part of the linear
New River Trail State Park
. The bridge was built in 1931 by Virginia Bridge and Iron Co. of Roanoke
, a subsidiary of the Norfolk and Western Railway
. The trestle is at 951 ft (290 m) long.
Fishing has also become a major attraction at Claytor Lake. The most plentiful fish in the lake are bluegill
, a form of sunfish
. Most commonly they are in the 6" to 8" (15–20 cm) range and weigh less than a pound. Catfish
are also popular in Claytor Lake, some of them getting quite large (well over 50 lb (22 kg)). The main sporting varieties are largemouth bass
, smallmouth bass
and striped bass
. Large and small mouth bass fishing tournaments are a regular seasonal event at Claytor Lake with weights of 15 to 20 lb (7 to 9 kg) per fisherman being an average winning catch. All tournament fishing is catch and release
and most is done by local clubs. Striped bass fishing occurs year round with various techniques. The average "striper" (as they are commonly known) is about 8 lb (4 kg) but catches close to 30 lb (14 kg) have been reported.
Several high cliffs of shale
rock ring the lake coastline. This material is loose and unstable, and therefore, climbing is not permitted although many people (unlawfully) climb and jump from these cliffs into the lake below.
Pulaski County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,127 people, 14,643 households, and 10,147 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 16,325 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile...
, is a 4,500 acre (18 km²), 21 mile (34 km) long reservoir
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...
on the New River created for a hydroelectric project of Appalachian Power Company
Appalachian Power
Appalachian Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. It is based in Charleston, West Virginia and owns the rights to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston...
. It is named for W. Graham Claytor
W. Graham Claytor
William Graham Claytor , of Roanoke, Virginia, was the vice president of Appalachian Power Company, an electric utility service....
(1886-1971) of Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, a vice president of Appalachian Power who had supervised construction of the dam
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 creation of the lake.
Three miles of Claytor Lake's shoreline is bordered by Claytor Lake State Park
Claytor Lake State Park
Claytor Lake State Park in Pulaski County, Virginia is located on Claytor Lake, a 4,500 acre , 21 mile long artificial lake on the New River created for a hydroelectric project of the Appalachian Power Company. It is named for W...
, operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
History
Claytor Lake was formed when Appalachian Power CompanyAppalachian Power
Appalachian Power is a subsidiary of American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. It is based in Charleston, West Virginia and owns the rights to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston...
built a dam on the New River, just south of Radford, Virginia
Radford, Virginia
Radford is a city in Virginia, United States. The population was 16,408 in 2010. For statistical purposes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Radford with neighboring Montgomery County, including the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, calling the combination the...
, in 1939. The plant is the largest of the power company's 12 hydroelectric plants, with a total generating capacity of 83,000 kilowatts.
In early 1944, the people of the surrounding area expressed an interest in the establishment of a state park on the new lake. The idea continued to grow and in 1946 private citizens and businesses from Pulaski, Radford and Blacksburg raised the money needed to purchase 437 acres (1.8 km²) from Appalachian Power. This land was given to the state to be developed as Claytor Lake State Park
Claytor Lake State Park
Claytor Lake State Park in Pulaski County, Virginia is located on Claytor Lake, a 4,500 acre , 21 mile long artificial lake on the New River created for a hydroelectric project of the Appalachian Power Company. It is named for W...
.
Rail trail
Hiwassee Trestle, on the New River Trail, a former railroad line which is now a rail trailRail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
, crosses Claytor Lake, and is part of the linear
Linear park
A linear park is a park that is much longer than wide. It is often formed as a part of a rails-to-trails conversion of railroad beds to rail trail recreational use...
New River Trail State Park
New River Trail State Park
New River Trail State Park is a state park located in southern Virginia, United States. It parallels of the New River along an old railroad right-of-way, and is a designated National Recreation Trail....
. The bridge was built in 1931 by Virginia Bridge and Iron Co. of Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, a subsidiary of the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
. The trestle is at 951 ft (290 m) long.
Recreational activities
Popular activities at Claytor Lake include powerboating, sailing and various watersports.Fishing has also become a major attraction at Claytor Lake. The most plentiful fish in the lake are bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, a form of sunfish
Lepomis
Lepomis is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The most recognizable species of the sixteen in this genus is the Bluegill....
. Most commonly they are in the 6" to 8" (15–20 cm) range and weigh less than a pound. Catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
are also popular in Claytor Lake, some of them getting quite large (well over 50 lb (22 kg)). The main sporting varieties are largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
and striped bass
Striped bass
The striped bass is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and the state saltwater fish of New York, Virginia, and New Hampshire...
. Large and small mouth bass fishing tournaments are a regular seasonal event at Claytor Lake with weights of 15 to 20 lb (7 to 9 kg) per fisherman being an average winning catch. All tournament fishing is catch and release
Catch and release
Catch and release is a practice within recreational fishing intended as a technique of conservation. After capture, the fish are unhooked and returned to the water before experiencing serious exhaustion or injury...
and most is done by local clubs. Striped bass fishing occurs year round with various techniques. The average "striper" (as they are commonly known) is about 8 lb (4 kg) but catches close to 30 lb (14 kg) have been reported.
Several high cliffs of shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
rock ring the lake coastline. This material is loose and unstable, and therefore, climbing is not permitted although many people (unlawfully) climb and jump from these cliffs into the lake below.