Hyco Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hyco Lake |
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 Hyco Lake
Location in North Carolina
Hyco Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Person / Caswell counties, North Carolina, United States |
| Coordinates | 36°30′46″N 079°02′49″W / 36.51278°N 79.04694°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Hyco River |
| Catchment area | 189 sq mi (490 km2) |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 3,750 acres (1,520 ha) |
| Surface elevation | 411 ft (125 m) |
Hyco Lake is a big lake located in Person and Caswell counties, North Carolina. It is a popular spot for outdoor fun like fishing, boating, and water skiing. Hyco Lake is the larger of the two main lakes in Person County. The other one is called Mayo Lake.
The lake was created from the Hyco River. Three smaller streams also flow into it: North Hyco Creek, South Hyco Creek, and Cobbs Creek. Many people have built vacation homes along the lake's shores. These homes are quite valuable. More than 1,500 homes are around the lake, and about 800 of them are lived in all year. The lake is near the towns of Semora, Leasburg, and the city of Roxboro. Roxboro is about 10 miles (16 km) away.
How Hyco Lake Was Made
Hyco Lake was built in the early 1960s. It was created by a company called Carolina Power and Light Company. This company is now known as Duke Energy Progress. The lake's main purpose was to cool down their power plant.
Who Manages the Lake?
Since it was built, the lake and its recreation park have been managed by the Person-Caswell Lake Authority. The water in the lake is also checked and controlled by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Duke Energy Progress still owns the land around the lake. They own the land up to 420 feet (128 meters) above sea level.
Size and Shoreline
Hyco Lake covers a large area of about 3,750 acres. This is like having more than 2,800 football fields! It holds about 25 billion US gallons (95 million cubic meters) of water. The lake also has a very long shoreline, stretching for about 120 miles (193 km).
What Does "Hyco" Mean?
The name "Hyco" comes from an older word, "Hicotaminy." This was what the native people called the area a long time ago. They used this name because there were, and still are, many turkey buzzards in the area. "Hicotaminy" means "great turkey buzzard."
