Kerr Lake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kerr Lake | |
|---|---|
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary sources | Roanoke River, Dan River |
| Primary outflows | Roanoke River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 50,000 acres (200 km²) |
Kerr Lake (also known as Bug's Island Lake by Virginians) is an artificial lake along the border of the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. It was constructed in 1952 to produce electricity and for flood control. It is currently owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is located in Vance County, NC, Granville County, NC, Warren County, NC, and Mecklenburg County, VA. It is the largest lake in North Carolina and one of the largest in the Southeastern United States. The lake has over 850 miles of shoreline and covers approximately 50,000 acres (200 km²). Fishing is a popular activity, as the lake has an abundance of large-mouth striped bass, crappie, catfish and bream.
It is named for Congressman John H. Kerr of North Carolina, who supported the original creation of the lake.
The lake is actually an empoundment of the Roanoke River (also called the Staunton River in Virginia). The Dan River and several smaller creeks also feed the lake. The lake is upstream of Lake Gaston. The lake was originally named Buggs Island Lake, but was later named after congressman Kerr. It is still referred to by some as Buggs Island Lake or Buggs Island Reservoir. The Buggs Island name is said to come from an island in the Roanoke River near the lake. The hyrdoelectric dam is located on the Virginia side of the lake and generates electricity for the Southeastern Power Administration.The lake is quite large and is wildly popular with both North Carolinians and Virginians for fishing and recreational purposes.
