Lake Marion (South Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Marion |
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Lake Marion (top) and Lake Moultrie (bottom right) from space
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| Location | Clarendon / Orangeburg / Berkeley / Calhoun / Sumter counties, South Carolina, US |
| Coordinates | 33°27′14″N 80°09′50″W / 33.45389°N 80.16389°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 110,000 acres (45,000 ha) |
Lake Marion is the biggest lake in South Carolina. It's right in the middle of the state. Parts of this huge lake are found in five different counties! People sometimes call it South Carolina's "inland sea" because it's so large.
The lake has a shoreline that stretches for about 315 miles. It covers nearly 110,000 acres, which is like 450 square kilometers. This area used to be farmlands, marshy areas, and river valleys before the lake was created.
Contents
How Lake Marion Was Made
Lake Marion is not a natural lake. It is a reservoir, which means it was made by people. It was created in the 1940s when the Santee River was dammed.
Why the Lake Was Built
The main reason Lake Marion was built was to make hydroelectric power. This is electricity made from the force of moving water. Building the lake was part of a big plan called the "New Deal."
The New Deal was a series of programs started by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression. The Great Depression was a time in the 1930s when many people in the United States lost their jobs and money. The New Deal aimed to help people get back to work and improve the country's economy.
One of the New Deal's goals was "rural electrification." This meant bringing electricity to farms and small towns that didn't have it yet. Lake Marion helped provide this power.
Size and Importance
Lake Marion is one of the fifty largest lakes in the United States. This includes both natural lakes and man-made reservoirs. Even though it's huge, it's only about a third the size of the fifteenth largest lake in the country.
Today, Lake Marion is important for many things. It still helps make electricity. It's also a popular spot for fishing, boating, and other outdoor activities.
Images for kids
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Interstate 95 bridge over Lake Marion, Santee, SC; old bridge is fishing pier
See also
In Spanish: Lago Marion para niños
