Lake Tuscaloosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Tuscaloosa |
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Looking northward from atop the dam and spillway, along Tuscaloosa County Road 87.
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| Location | Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, United States |
| Coordinates | 33°20′35″N 87°33′20″W / 33.34306°N 87.55556°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 5,885 acres (23.82 km2) |
| Water volume | 40,000,000,000 U.S. gallons (150,000,000 m3) |
| Shore length1 | 177 mi (285 km) |
| Surface elevation | 223.2 ft (68.0 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Tuscaloosa is a large man-made lake, also called a reservoir, located in west-central Alabama. It was created by building a dam across the North River. This lake was built to provide fresh water for the people living in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and also for local industries. It was finished in 1970 and cost about $7.7 million. Today, Lake Tuscaloosa is a very popular spot for fun activities like boating and fishing!
Why Was Lake Tuscaloosa Created?
Before Lake Tuscaloosa was built, the city of Tuscaloosa was growing quickly. The older reservoirs that supplied water, Harris Lake and Lake Nicol, just didn't have enough water for everyone. So, a new, much bigger water source was needed to keep up with the city's needs.
How Lake Tuscaloosa Was Built
To create Lake Tuscaloosa, engineers decided to build a large dam on the North River. Once the dam was finished, it started holding back the river's water. Slowly, the area behind the dam filled up, forming the huge Lake Tuscaloosa we see today.
This new lake provides much more water than the older ones. The water from Lake Tuscaloosa is carefully treated to make it safe and clean for people to drink. It also supplies water for factories and businesses in the area, helping them operate.
