Lake Gaston
Encyclopedia
Lake Gaston is a hydroelectric reservoir
in east United States of America. Part of the lake is in the North Carolina counties of Halifax
, Northampton
, and Warren
. The part extending into Virginia lies in Brunswick
and Mecklenburg
counties. Lake Gaston is roughly 35 miles long and covers over 20,000 acres (80 km²), with 350 miles (560 km) of shoreline.
The area surrounding the lake is home to more than 150,000 residents. The nearest towns are Littleton
and Roanoke Rapids
in North Carolina, and Clarksville
and South Hill
in Virginia.
The lake is not federally owned. It was formed when the Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO) built Gaston Dam on the Roanoke River
to generate electricity for Dominion Resources
, which owns the lake. The dam is located on the North Carolina side and generates electricity for Dominion North Carolina Power, which is the North Carolina operating company of Dominion Resources. The dam includes four hydroelectric
generators, with a total generating capacity of 224 megawatts.
Lake Gaston is fed by water from Kerr Lake
upstream, and supplies water to Roanoke Rapids Lake downstream, a smaller predecessor to Lake Gaston. This is one of the few areas of the country with three hydroelectric dams so close together.
Lake Gaston has long been popular for fishing and other water recreation. The lake is a favorite vacation spot, because it is close to the Research Triangle region of North Carolina and is close to I-85 and I-95
. Lake Gaston was built for flood control, hydroelectric power and recreational enjoyment, including activities such as fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing and wakeboarding
.
The lake has been a popular retirement destination since the 1970s. Retirees are drawn from all over the country by the rural feel of the area while also being close to larger cities. There are few vacant waterfront lots remaining on the favored parts of the lake. Some buyers are purchasing smaller homes and demolishing them to make larger vacation homes. Most waterfront lots now cost over $300,000.
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 east United States of America. Part of the lake is in the North Carolina counties of Halifax
Halifax County, North Carolina
-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:[[Image:HalifaxCountyCotton.wmg.jpg|left|thumb|A cotton field blooms in Halifax County....
, Northampton
Northampton County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 22,086 people, 8,691 households, and 5,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile . There were 10,455 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile...
, and Warren
Warren County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,972 people, 7,708 households, and 5,449 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 10,548 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
. The part extending into Virginia lies in Brunswick
Brunswick County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,419 people, 6,277 households, and 4,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 7,541 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
and Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 32,727 people, 12,951 households, and 8,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile . There were 17,403 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
counties. Lake Gaston is roughly 35 miles long and covers over 20,000 acres (80 km²), with 350 miles (560 km) of shoreline.
The area surrounding the lake is home to more than 150,000 residents. The nearest towns are Littleton
Littleton, North Carolina
Littleton is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 692 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Littleton is located at ....
and Roanoke Rapids
Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
Roanoke Rapids is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 16,957 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
in North Carolina, and Clarksville
Clarksville, Virginia
Clarksville is a town founded in Mecklenburg County and overlapping across Halifax County in the U.S. state of Virginia, near the southern border of the state. The population was 1,139 at the 2010 census...
and South Hill
South Hill, Virginia
South Hill is a town in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2006 census, the town population was 4,608. Located on major Interstate and U.S. highways, it has a full service hospital , a tobacco market, and several hotels. South Hill has a close relationship with the neighboring...
in Virginia.
The lake is not federally owned. It was formed when the Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO) built Gaston Dam on the Roanoke River
Roanoke River
The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi long. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains southeast across the Piedmont...
to generate electricity for Dominion Resources
Dominion Resources
Dominion Resources Inc. , commonly referred to as Dominion, is a power and energy company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia that supplies electricity in parts of Virginia and North Carolina and supplies natural gas to parts of West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and eastern North Carolina...
, which owns the lake. The dam is located on the North Carolina side and generates electricity for Dominion North Carolina Power, which is the North Carolina operating company of Dominion Resources. The dam includes four hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
generators, with a total generating capacity of 224 megawatts.
Lake Gaston is fed by water from Kerr Lake
Kerr Lake
Kerr Lake is a reservoir along the border of the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia created by the John H. Kerr Dam...
upstream, and supplies water to Roanoke Rapids Lake downstream, a smaller predecessor to Lake Gaston. This is one of the few areas of the country with three hydroelectric dams so close together.
Lake Gaston has long been popular for fishing and other water recreation. The lake is a favorite vacation spot, because it is close to the Research Triangle region of North Carolina and is close to I-85 and I-95
Interstate 95 in North Carolina
Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In North Carolina, I-95 runs diagonally across the eastern third of the state, from Rowland in the southwest to Roanoke Rapids in the northeast of the Inner Banks.-Route...
. Lake Gaston was built for flood control, hydroelectric power and recreational enjoyment, including activities such as fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing and wakeboarding
Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding is a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water. It was developed from a combination of water skiing, snow boarding and surfing techniques....
.
The lake has been a popular retirement destination since the 1970s. Retirees are drawn from all over the country by the rural feel of the area while also being close to larger cities. There are few vacant waterfront lots remaining on the favored parts of the lake. Some buyers are purchasing smaller homes and demolishing them to make larger vacation homes. Most waterfront lots now cost over $300,000.