Little Grassy Lake (Illinois) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Grassy Lake |
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 Little Grassy Lake
Location in Illinois
Little Grassy Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jackson County, Illinois and Williamson County, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 37°38′12″N 89°08′44″W / 37.6368°N 89.1455°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Little Grassy Creek |
| Primary outflows | Little Grassy Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 4 mi (6.5 km) |
| Max. width | 0.5 mi (0.8 km) |
| Surface area | 1,200-acre (4.8 km²) |
| Shore length1 | 36 miles (58 km) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Little Grassy Lake is a large, 1,200-acre (4.8 km²) reservoir in southern Illinois. A reservoir is a lake that people create, usually by building a dam. This lake was made by damming Little Grassy Creek. This creek flows into Crab Orchard Lake and then into the Big Muddy River.
Most of Little Grassy Lake is located in Williamson County. It is southeast of the city of Carbondale, Illinois. You can reach the lake from Giant City Road if you are coming from Carbondale. Two parts of the lake also extend into nearby Jackson County. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helps manage the lake. It is part of the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.
Contents
History of Little Grassy Lake
Little Grassy Lake was built in 1940. This was part of a big effort by the government to help the country recover from the Great Depression. The land around the lake had many hills and trees like oak and hickory. This land was not very good for farming. So, the government bought the farms to build the lake instead.
Fish Hatchery Development
In 1959, more activity started around the lake. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) chose a spot near the Little Grassy dam. They decided to build their main warm-water fish hatchery there. A fish hatchery is a place where fish are raised. This hatchery produces fish like largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and redear sunfish. These fish are then used to stock other lakes and rivers. As of 2007, the hatchery produces about 15 million young fish each year.
Little Grassy Lake Today
Today, Little Grassy Lake is a popular spot for warmwater fishing. You can catch fish like largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and crappie here. There are rules about boats on the lake. Boat motors must be 10 horsepower or less. You also need a special permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to use the lake. A campground and a marina are open during fishing season.
Catfish Production
Little Grassy Lake is the only place where the IDNR raises catfish. The process for raising catfish takes at least one year. Adult catfish usually lay their eggs around June 1st. The young fish then need about 13 months to grow. They reach a length of about 8 inches (20 cm). This size makes them less likely to be eaten by other fish. They are usually ready to be moved to other waterways in July of the next summer. The IDNR sends catfish from Little Grassy Lake to 220 different waterways across Illinois.
Whitewater Spot
Just below the Little Grassy dam is a section of spillway. This part is about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) long. It is known as a whitewater spot. Whitewater means fast-moving water with rapids. The difficulty of the rapids can change. It depends on how much water is flowing over the spillway. This usually happens during heavy rain or when snow melts in winter and early spring.
Boy Scout Reservation
The Pine Ridge Boy Scout Reservation is also located on the lake. It is on the northeastern side, about a mile from the dam.
