North Fork Pound Reservoir
Encyclopedia
North Fork Pound Reservoir (also known as North Fork of Pound Lake) is a reservoir
in Wise County
, Virginia
. It was impounded from the North Fork of Pound River in 1966 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
.
is a part of the upper reaches of the Big Sandy system. On its way to the Ohio River
, the waters from North Fork flow northeast and meet the South Fork River to form the Pound River. The Pound River then flows into the Russell Fork River near Haysi, Virginia
. The Russell Fork cuts through the Allegheny Mountain
range to join the Levisa Fork then meets the Tug Fork at Louisa
and forms the Big Sandy River
.
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 Wise County
Wise County, Virginia
Wise County is a county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. In 1856, the county was formed from land taken from Lee, Scott, and Russell Counties. It was named after Henry A. Wise, who was the Governor of Virginia at the time. As of 2010, the population was 41,452, making it the largest...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. It was impounded from the North Fork of Pound River in 1966 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...
.
General
The North Fork of Pound RiverPound River
Category: Rivers of Virginia Running through Part of Wise County Virginia, and through Dickenson County Virginia, The Pound River is a tributary of the Russell Fork in the U.S. state of Virginia. Via the Russell Fork, the Levisa Fork, the Big Sandy River, and the Ohio River, it is part of the...
is a part of the upper reaches of the Big Sandy system. On its way to the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, the waters from North Fork flow northeast and meet the South Fork River to form the Pound River. The Pound River then flows into the Russell Fork River near Haysi, Virginia
Haysi, Virginia
Haysi is a town in Dickenson County, Virginia, United States. The population was 186 at the 2000 census. The pronunciation of the final syllable is that of "sigh".-Geography:Haysi is located at ....
. The Russell Fork cuts through the Allegheny Mountain
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
range to join the Levisa Fork then meets the Tug Fork at Louisa
Louisa, Kentucky
Louisa is a city in Lawrence County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,018 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lawrence County. The Levisa Fork River and Tug Fork River join at Louisa to form the Big Sandy River...
and forms the Big Sandy River
Big Sandy River (Ohio River)
The Big Sandy River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in western West Virginia and northeastern Kentucky in the United States. The river forms part of the boundary between the two states along its entire course...
.
History
Construction began in 1966 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Flood Control Act of 1960. The rock fill dam was completed in 1963 at a cost of $6.2 million. The dam is 122 feet (37.2 m) high and 600 feet (182.9 m) long. Water releases from the dam are controlled by three gates (3 feet wide, 6 feet (1.8 m) high) located in the intake structure. Lake elevation is maintained at 1601 feet (488 m) above sea level. During the fall the lake elevation is lowered 10 feet (3 m) to hold water from fall and spring runoff. The lake covers 154 acre (0.62321644 km²) and includes 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of wooded shoreline. The U.S. Forest Service obtained ownership of the lands surrounding the lake in 1983.See also
- Lakes of Virginia
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- Pound, VirginiaPound, VirginiaPound is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,089 as recorded in the 2000 census.-Geography:Pound is located at ....
- John W. Flanagan Dam and ReservoirJohn W. Flanagan Dam and ReservoirJohn W. Flannagan Dam and reservoir is located in the Cumberland Mountains of Dickenson County, Virginia.-History:Authorized by Congress in the Flood Control Act of 1938, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1961, John W. Flannagan Dam and Reservoir is a part of the Big Sandy...