Lake Wedowee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Wedowee |
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| R. L. Harris Reservoir | |
 Lake Wedowee
Location in Alabama
Lake Wedowee
Location in the United States
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| Location | Randolph County, Alabama, United States |
| Coordinates | 33°15′02″N 85°36′45″W / 33.25056°N 85.61250°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Tallapoosa River |
| Primary outflows | Tallapoosa River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 24 miles (39 km) |
| Surface area | 10,660 acres (43.1 km2) |
| Max. depth | 135 ft (41 m) |
| Shore length1 | 367 mi (591 km) |
| Surface elevation | 793 ft (242 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Wedowee, also known as R. L. Harris Reservoir, is a large reservoir in Randolph County, Alabama. It was created on the upper part of the Tallapoosa River. This beautiful lake is about 90 miles from Atlanta, Georgia. It covers a huge area of about 9,870 acres. Lake Wedowee was built at one of the last places in Alabama where a new hydroelectric dam could be made.
Building Lake Wedowee
Lake Wedowee was formed when a large area of land was flooded behind the R.L. Harris Dam. Work on the dam started on November 1, 1974. It was finished on April 20, 1983. The dam is very big, measuring 1,142 feet long and 151.5 feet high. It has two special machines called generating units. Each unit can make up to 67,500 kilowatts of electricity. This power helps light up homes and businesses.
Fun Things to Do at Lake Wedowee
Lake Wedowee is a super popular spot for outdoor fun! Many people come here to enjoy different activities. You can go boating, swimming, fishing, and even camping.
Fishing is one of the biggest attractions at the lake. It is known as one of the best fishing lakes in the Southeast United States. This is because the water quality is excellent. You can find many different kinds of fish here. Some common types include crappie, largemouth bass, striped bass, bluegill, and catfish. During the summer, the lake is full of both local people and visitors. Everyone enjoys the clear water and exciting activities.
The Town of Wedowee
The town of Wedowee is a small community. In 2018, about 797 people lived there. Wedowee is also the main town, or county seat, of Randolph County. Important roads like U.S. Highway 431 and Alabama Highway 48 pass through the town. Over the years, the community has grown. This growth is partly because the lake has become more popular and developed.
