Summersville Lake
Encyclopedia
Summersville Lake is a reservoir
located in the US
state of West Virginia
. The lake
is formed by a rock-fill dam (Summersville Dam) on the Gauley River
, south of Summersville
in Nicholas County. It is the largest lake in West Virginia, with 2700 acres (1,092.7 ha) of water and over 60 miles (96.6 km) of shoreline at the summer pool water level.
The lake was constructed between 1960 and 1966 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers
in order to control flooding in an 803 square miles (2,079.8 km²) watershed along the Gauley River and the Kanawha River
. At 390 feet (118.9 m) tall, 2280 feet (694.9 m) long, and containing 12000000 cubic yards (9,174,658.3 m³) of dirt and rock, the dam itself is the second-largest rock-fill dam in the Eastern United States. President Lyndon B. Johnson
dedicated both the dam and a new Summersville Post Office on September 3, 1966.
The US Corps of Engineers broke a long-standing tradition in naming what was called the Summersville Project. Tradition holds that the project will be named after the town nearest the site of construction, unless named for a person (such as Hoover Dam
). However, the town of Summersville was not the one nearest the dam. The village of Gad
(located near the present-day marina) was literally flooded at the opening of the reservoir. After briefly considering the name "Gad Dam," it was instead decided to name the project after the next nearest town – Summersville.
and scuba diving
. It serves as the eastern (upstream) end of Gauley River National Recreation Area
.
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 the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
is formed by a rock-fill dam (Summersville Dam) on the Gauley River
Gauley River
The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. It is one of the most popular advanced whitewater runs in the Eastern United States and is the chief feature of the Gauley River National Recreation Area.-Headwaters...
, south of Summersville
Summersville, West Virginia
Summersville is a town in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 3,194 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Nicholas County.-Geography:...
in Nicholas County. It is the largest lake in West Virginia, with 2700 acres (1,092.7 ha) of water and over 60 miles (96.6 km) of shoreline at the summer pool water level.
Dam
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...
in order to control flooding in an 803 square miles (2,079.8 km²) watershed along the Gauley River and the Kanawha River
Kanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
. At 390 feet (118.9 m) tall, 2280 feet (694.9 m) long, and containing 12000000 cubic yards (9,174,658.3 m³) of dirt and rock, the dam itself is the second-largest rock-fill dam in the Eastern United States. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
dedicated both the dam and a new Summersville Post Office on September 3, 1966.
The US Corps of Engineers broke a long-standing tradition in naming what was called the Summersville Project. Tradition holds that the project will be named after the town nearest the site of construction, unless named for a person (such as Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
). However, the town of Summersville was not the one nearest the dam. The village of Gad
Gad, West Virginia
Gad is a former unincorporated community in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States. The community was located on McKee's Creek, but was purchased by the US Army Corps of Engineers for the construction of Summersville Lake....
(located near the present-day marina) was literally flooded at the opening of the reservoir. After briefly considering the name "Gad Dam," it was instead decided to name the project after the next nearest town – Summersville.
Hydroelectric project
In 2001, a two-year project was completed to harness the dam outflow for hydroelectric power generation. The power plant has a capacity to generate 80-megawatts of electricity at peak flow. The thunderous noise caused by the plumes of water that formerly sounded from the base of Summersville Dam have been replaced by the quiet hum of electric generators.Recreation
The lake also serves as a recreation area for fishing, boating, and rock climbing, as well as snorkelingSnorkeling
Snorkeling is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn...
and scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
. It serves as the eastern (upstream) end of Gauley River National Recreation Area
Gauley River National Recreation Area
The Gauley River National Recreation Area, located near Summersville, West Virginia, protects a portion of the Gauley River and a segment of the Meadow River in southern West Virginia. Little of the park is accessible via roads; one must travel via the river...
.