Big Creek Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Creek Lake |
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 Big Creek Lake
Location in Alabama
Big Creek Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Mobile County, Alabama, United States |
| Coordinates | 30.°42′44″N 88°20′24″W / 30.71222°N 88.34000°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Big Creek |
| Primary outflows | Big Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 3,600 acres (15 km2) |
| Settlements | Semmes, Mobile |
Big Creek Lake, also known as Converse Reservoir, is a very important lake. It provides most of the drinking water for the city of Mobile, Alabama, and its nearby towns. This lake was created by building a dam across Big Creek. Big Creek is a smaller river that flows into the Escatawpa River in southwest Alabama. In the 1980s, there was a disagreement about who could use the water from the lake.
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About Big Creek Lake
Big Creek Lake is a special kind of lake called a reservoir. A reservoir is a large, artificial lake built to store water. This water is then used for drinking, farming, or making electricity. Big Creek Lake is a key source of water for many people.
Where is Big Creek Lake?
Big Creek Lake is located in Mobile County, in the state of Alabama. You can find it northwest of Fairview, Alabama. The lake covers a large area of about 3,600 acres (15 km2).
The land area that drains into the lake is called its watershed. Big Creek Lake's watershed is 103 square miles (267 km²). All of this land is within Mobile County.
History of Big Creek Lake
For many years, the city of Mobile needed more water as its population grew. By the time World War II started, the old water sources were not enough. They also worried about the quality of the water. This was because the areas around the old water sources were becoming more developed.
Building the Lake
So, the city decided to build a new water source. They chose Big Creek, which is in the western part of Mobile County. The Big Creek project started and was finished in 1952. It cost about $7 million, which included buying the land, building the dams, and setting up the pumping station and pipes. The construction took two years to complete.
In 1987, the lake was officially named J. B. Converse Reservoir. However, most people still call it "Big Creek Lake." The pumping station, which helps move the water, was named S. Palmer Gaillard Pumping Station.
How Water is Delivered
Water from the 3,600-acre (15 km2) lake is pumped through pipes. It goes to two other reservoirs. From there, the water is sent to homes for drinking or to industries for other uses.
The reservoirs are located at a height of about 220 feet (67 meters). Water for industries can flow downhill by gravity. It goes to industrial sites at Magazine Point, which are about 25 feet (8 meters) high. Pumps at Big Creek Lake send treated water to Mobile. They also send untreated water to local businesses, like chemical plants and paper mills.
