Clinton Lake (Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clinton Lake |
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Clinton Lake dam spillway
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 Clinton Lake
Location in Illinois
Clinton Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | DeWitt County, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 40°08′20″N 88°52′35″W / 40.138925°N 88.876466°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Salt Creek North Fork of Salt Creek |
| Primary outflows | Salt Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 4,900 acres (19.8 km2) |
| Average depth | 19.5 ft (5.9 m) |
| Max. depth | 48 ft (14.6 m) |
| Residence time | 6 months |
| Shore length1 | 219 km (136.1 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 690 ft (210.3 m) |
| Settlements | Clinton |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Clinton Lake is a large lake in DeWitt County, Illinois, near the town of Clinton. It covers about 4,900 acres (almost 20 square kilometers) and is a man-made lake, also known as a reservoir. It was built in the 1970s and opened in 1978.
Clinton Lake was created to help cool down the Clinton Nuclear Generating Station, a power plant nearby. But it's also a super popular spot for outdoor fun! The lake is part of the Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, which is a huge area of about 9,300 acres (38 square kilometers) dedicated to recreation.
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Discover Clinton Lake!
Clinton Lake is a fantastic place for all sorts of outdoor activities. Whether you love being on the water or exploring on land, there's something for everyone here.
Where is Clinton Lake?
Clinton Lake is located in central Illinois. It's about a 4-hour drive from big cities like Chicago and St. Louis. It's also close to other cities like Champaign, Bloomington, Decatur, and Lincoln. You can easily get to the lake using major highways like Interstates 57, 55, 72, and 74, as well as U.S. 51 and Illinois Routes 10, 54, and 48.
The main marina is on the south side of the lake, in an area called Salt Creek. You can reach it from Illinois Route 10 or DeWitt County Highway 14.
Fun Things to Do at the Lake
Clinton Lake State Recreation Area offers many exciting activities. You can enjoy water sports, fishing, camping, hiking, and even winter sports when the weather is right!
Boating and Water Fun
If you love being on the water, Clinton Lake is perfect! You can use power boats on most of the lake. However, some areas, like the upper arm of the lake, are "no-wake" zones. This means boats must go slowly to avoid making waves. Some small areas are just for electric trolling motors.
There are six places to launch your boat and one special launch for canoes. If you want to swim, there's a 1,000-foot (about 300-meter) long sandy beach. It's open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the swimming area is marked off with buoys for safety.
Fishing Adventures
Clinton Lake is known as a great spot for fishing. You can catch many different kinds of fish here. Some of the popular fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, white crappie, black crappie, and channel catfish. You might also find bullheads, flathead catfish, walleye, striped bass, and hybrid striped bass.
Exploring on Land
Beyond the water, there's plenty to do on land at Clinton Lake. You can go camping and spend the night under the stars. There are also many hiking trails to explore the beautiful natural surroundings. If you enjoy a picnic, there are special areas set up for that too.
In winter, if there's enough snow, you can even go cross-country skiing or snowmobiling. For those who love horses, there's a special equestrian trail for horseback riding.
Sailing and Rowing at Clinton Lake
Clinton Lake is also a hub for sailing and rowing. The Clinton Lake Sailing Association teaches people how to sail and hosts sailing events from their facility near the marina.
The University of Illinois's Rowing Team uses Clinton Lake for practice and races. In 2016, they built the Clinton Lake Rowing Center on the north-eastern side of the lake, near Farmer City. During the spring, they set up a special six-lane race course on the lake for their competitions.
