Lake Strom Thurmond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Strom Thurmond |
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Sunset on the Georgia side of Lake Strom Thurmond (Clarks Hill Lake), April 2006
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 Lake Strom Thurmond
Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Lake Strom Thurmond
Location in the United States
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| Location | McCormick County, SC & Lincoln County, GA & Columbia County, GA McDuffie county Wilkes county |
| Coordinates | 33°39′40″N 082°11′57″W / 33.66111°N 82.19917°W |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Savannah River |
| Primary outflows | Savannah River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 71,100 acres (288 km2) |
| Max. depth | 180 ft (54.8 m) |
| Surface elevation | 330 ft (100 m) |
Lake Strom Thurmond is a large, man-made lake located on the border between Georgia and South Carolina. It is also known as the J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir by the federal government and Clarks Hill Lake in Georgia. This huge lake is part of the Savannah River system.
About Lake Strom Thurmond
Lake Strom Thurmond is a reservoir, which means it's a large, artificial lake created to store water. It was formed by building the J. Strom Thurmond Dam. This dam was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers between 1951 and 1952. The lake itself started filling up during these years.
This lake is one of the biggest artificial lakes east of the Mississippi River. It covers about 71,000 acres (287 square kilometers). Only Kentucky Lake and Lake Marion are larger. The dam is located upstream from the city of Augusta, Georgia.
The Thurmond Lake and Dam project was built for several important reasons. It helps control floods, produces electricity (hydropower), and helps with river navigation. Over time, other uses were added, like recreation, keeping water clean, supplying water, and managing fish and wildlife.
Millions of people visit Lake Thurmond every year. They enjoy the many parks, marinas, and campgrounds around the lake. This makes Lake Thurmond one of the most visited lakes managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The lake is fed by the Savannah River, Broad River, and Little River. At its normal water level, Lake Thurmond has nearly 71,100 acres (287 square kilometers) of water. Its shoreline stretches for about 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers). The entire project, including land and water, covers 151,000 acres (611 square kilometers).
The J. Strom Thurmond Lake and Dam was the first major project built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Savannah River Basin. Later, two more lakes were built: Lake Hartwell (completed in 1963) and Richard B. Russell Lake (completed in 1985). These three lakes together form a chain that is about 120 miles (190 kilometers) long. The Thurmond project was approved in 1944 and finished in 1954. It cost about $79 million to build.
Why the Lake's Name Changed
The lake's name has changed a few times over the years. When it was first approved by Congress, it was supposed to be called "Clark Hill Lake." This was due to a small mistake in the official paperwork, where the "s" was left out of "Clarks." The original plan was to use the lake for power, flood control, and navigation. Later, recreation, water quality, water supply, and wildlife management were added as official purposes.
About 26 years after the dam was built, both the dam and the lake were officially renamed "Clarks Hill Dam" and "Clarks Hill Lake." This change was supported by a law introduced by Strom Thurmond, who was a very long-serving senator.
Later, another lake, Richard B. Russell Lake, was built on the Savannah River. This lake was named after a senator from Georgia who helped get dams built on the river. This led to a new idea: to rename Clarks Hill Lake after J. Strom Thurmond. Senator Thurmond was very popular in the area. So, in 1988, Congress officially renamed the project "J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake at Clarks Hill."
The Renaming Debate
Before 1987, the lake was known as Clarks Hill Lake. It was named after the nearby town of Clarks Hill. The town itself was named after John Mulford Clark, a businessman from Augusta.
On December 3, 1987, a few days before Senator Strom Thurmond's 85th birthday, a politician named Butler Derrick from South Carolina suggested a new law. He wanted to rename the lake after Senator Thurmond. This law quickly passed through Congress and was signed by President Ronald Reagan on December 23, 1987.
Many people in both Georgia and South Carolina were not happy about this sudden name change. They felt they didn't get a chance to share their opinions. Because of this, a group of Georgia lawmakers, led by Doug Barnard, Jr., tried to pass a new law. They wanted to change the lake's name back to "Clarks Hill." However, their effort was not successful, and the name stayed as Lake Strom Thurmond.
Even though the federal government changed the name, the state of Georgia decided to keep the original name. On April 4, 1989, the Georgia state legislature passed a resolution. This made "Clarks Hill" the official state name for both the dam and the lake. Because of this, many maps in Georgia still show the lake as Clarks Hill. Many people in both Georgia and South Carolina still call the lake by its original name.
