Bear Creek Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bear Creek Reservoir |
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 Bear Creek Reservoir
Location in Alabama
Bear Creek Reservoir
Location in the United States
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| Location | Franklin County, Alabama |
| Coordinates | 34°23′55″N 87°59′16″W / 34.39861°N 87.98778°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Bear Creek |
| Primary outflows | Bear Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
The Bear Creek Reservoir is a special kind of lake located in Franklin County, Alabama. It's not a natural lake but a man-made one, also known as a reservoir. This reservoir was created along a stream called Bear Creek.
What is a Reservoir?
A reservoir is like a giant storage tank for water. People build dams across rivers or streams to create these large, artificial lakes. Reservoirs are super important because they help us manage water. They can store water for drinking, help with irrigation for farms, and even prevent floods.
Bear Creek Dam and Its Purpose
The Bear Creek Dam is the structure that holds back the water to form the Bear Creek Reservoir. It's a pretty big dam, standing about 68 feet (21 m) tall. Its main job is to control floods. When there's a lot of rain, the reservoir can hold extra water, stopping it from overflowing and causing damage downstream.
Built by the TVA
This dam was built by an organization called the Tennessee Valley Authority, or TVA for short. The TVA was created during a time in American history called the New Deal. The New Deal was a series of programs and projects started by the government in the 1930s to help the country recover from a tough economic period. The TVA built many dams and power plants to bring electricity and flood control to parts of the southeastern United States. Bear Creek Dam is one of four TVA dams in this area.
No Power Generation
Even though many dams are used to make electricity (called hydroelectric power), the Bear Creek Dam is different. It was built mainly for flood control and does not generate any electricity. It can hold a lot of water, up to 37,800 acre-feet (47 million cubic meters) when it's full.
