Lake Wylie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Wylie |
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Lake Wylie in the autumn
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 Lake Wylie
Location in North Carolina
Lake Wylie
Location in the United States
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| Location | York County, South Carolina / Gaston / Mecklenburg counties, North Carolina, US |
| Coordinates | 35°5′8.9″N 81°3′30.9″W / 35.085806°N 81.058583°W |
| Lake type | Reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Catawba River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 20.9 mi2 (54.2 km2) |
| Max. depth | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 325 mi (523 km) |
| Islands | many |
| Settlements | Charlotte, North Carolina Lake Wylie, South Carolina Steele Creek, North Carolina Tega Cay, South Carolina India Hook, South Carolina |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Wylie is a large, man-made lake located in both South Carolina and North Carolina in the United States. It's also known as a reservoir, which means it was created by building a dam across a river. The lake covers about 13,400 acres (54.2 square kilometers) and has a shoreline that stretches for about 325 miles (523 kilometers).
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How Was Lake Wylie Created?
Lake Wylie was first made in 1904. A company called Catawba Power Company built the Catawba Dam and a power plant near India Hook, South Carolina. This dam held back the water of the Catawba River. This created a smaller lake called Lake Catawba. The main goal was to use the flowing water to make electricity.
Growing the Lake: More Power!
In 1905, the Catawba Power Company joined with another company called Southern Power Company. Later, in 1924, they decided to make the dam even bigger. They built a new power station to replace the old one. This new facility opened in August 1925. Because the dam was taller, Lake Catawba grew much larger. Its size increased from 668 acres to a huge 13,400 acres! In 1927, Southern Power Company became part of Duke Power Company.
A New Name for the Lake
The power station and the lake got new names in October 1960. The power station was renamed the Wylie Hydroelectric Station. The lake was then renamed Lake Wylie. This was done to honor W. Gil Wylie. He was one of the people who helped start the original Catawba Power Company. This company was the one that first created the lake.
What Can You Do at Lake Wylie?
Lake Wylie is a popular spot for fun activities. It's located right on the border between South Carolina and North Carolina. This makes it easy for people from nearby cities like Charlotte, Fort Mill, and Rock Hill to visit.
Boating and Recreation
Duke Power Company helps manage six public places where you can launch your boat onto the lake. There are also two towns located right on the shores of Lake Wylie: Tega Cay and Lake Wylie. People enjoy boating, fishing, and other water sports here.
Lake Wylie's Place in the River System
Lake Wylie is special because it's the oldest of 11 lakes along the Catawba River. All these lakes are connected in a chain system. Water is moved between them by Duke Power. The lake stretches from the Mountain Island Dam in North Carolina down to the Wylie Dam at its southern end. On average, the lake is about 20 feet deep.
Cooling Water for Power Plants
Two important power plants use water from Lake Wylie. The Catawba Nuclear Generating Station is on the southwestern side of the lake. It takes water from the lake to help cool its systems. The Allen Steam Station, located north of the lake near Charlotte, also uses lake water for cooling.
The place where the South Fork River and the main Catawba River used to meet is now underwater. This spot is submerged beneath Lake Wylie, close to the North Carolina and South Carolina state line.
