Lake Shelbyville
Encyclopedia
Lake Shelbyville is a reservoir
located in Shelby County, Illinois and Moultrie County, Illinois created by damming the Kaskaskia River
at Shelbyville, Illinois
. The lake's normal surface pool is 11100 acres (44.9 km²) at an elevation of 183 metres (600.4 ft). The area that surrounds the lake is the Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area. The lake is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
and the wildlife is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
.
$57 million was appropriated for the dam and lake project. Ground breaking on the dam occurred May 4, 1963. Filling of the reservoir began August 1, 1970. The lake was officially dedicated September 12, 1970. The dam is 3025 feet (922 m) long and 108 feet (32.9 m) tall with normal pool height 17 feet (5.2 m) below the top.http://www.mvs.usace.army.mil/Shelbyville/lakeshelbyville.htm
Bordering the lake are two state parks: Wolf Creek State Park
and Eagle Creek State Park. Lake Shelbyville's shoreline is heavily wooded and subject to severe erosion. Man-made beaches are located at Dam West (Shelbyville), Wilborn Creek, Wolf Creek State Park and Sullivan Beach. Aside from the main channel of the lake are many coves, perfect for fishing. The lake is deeper than other major lakes in Illinois, so it is popular with boaters during the summer.
There are full-service marinas, resorts and campgrounds on the lake. There are three full service marinas in business: Findlay, Lithia Springs and Sullivan Marina. Findlay Marina is located north of Marker 5 just past the bridge on the west side of the lake. Sullivan Marina and Campground is located 4 miles south of Sullivan and includes hotel suites. Lithia Springs Marina is located on the southern end of the lake. All three offer slip rentals, boat service and sales and a store to purchase supplies. Eagle Creek Resort, a lodge at Eagle Creek State Park, is currently closed due to financial difficulties, although a new operator has plans to reopen the facility.
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...
located in Shelby County, Illinois and Moultrie County, Illinois created by damming the Kaskaskia River
Kaskaskia River
The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in central and southern Illinois in the United States. The second largest river system within Illinois, it drains a rural area of farms, as well as rolling hills along river bottoms of hardwood forests in its lower...
at Shelbyville, Illinois
Shelbyville, Illinois
Shelbyville is a city in Shelby County, Illinois, along the Kaskaskia River. As of the 2010 census, the population was at 4700. It is the county seat of Shelby County...
. The lake's normal surface pool is 11100 acres (44.9 km²) at an elevation of 183 metres (600.4 ft). The area that surrounds the lake is the Shelbyville State Fish and Wildlife Area. The lake is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
and the wildlife is managed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is a cabinet-level department of the state government of Illinois. It is headquartered in the state capital of Springfield...
.
Bordering the lake are two state parks: Wolf Creek State Park
Wolf Creek State Park
Wolf Creek State Park is an Illinois state park on in Shelby County, Illinois, United States.-2008 closing:Wolf Creek State Park was one of eleven state parks slated to close indefinitely on November 1, 2008 due to budget cuts by then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich...
and Eagle Creek State Park. Lake Shelbyville's shoreline is heavily wooded and subject to severe erosion. Man-made beaches are located at Dam West (Shelbyville), Wilborn Creek, Wolf Creek State Park and Sullivan Beach. Aside from the main channel of the lake are many coves, perfect for fishing. The lake is deeper than other major lakes in Illinois, so it is popular with boaters during the summer.
There are full-service marinas, resorts and campgrounds on the lake. There are three full service marinas in business: Findlay, Lithia Springs and Sullivan Marina. Findlay Marina is located north of Marker 5 just past the bridge on the west side of the lake. Sullivan Marina and Campground is located 4 miles south of Sullivan and includes hotel suites. Lithia Springs Marina is located on the southern end of the lake. All three offer slip rentals, boat service and sales and a store to purchase supplies. Eagle Creek Resort, a lodge at Eagle Creek State Park, is currently closed due to financial difficulties, although a new operator has plans to reopen the facility.