Lake Wateree is a 19 square miles (50Â km2) reservoir in Kershaw, Fairfield, and Lancaster counties, South Carolina, in the United States. It is one of South Carolina's oldest man-made lakes. It has 242 miles (389Â km) of shoreline and includes Lake Wateree State Park, a bird refuge, and Shaw Air Force Base Recreation center. Its name, like that of the river, recalls the now-extinct Wateree Native Americans, who lived in the area until dispossessed by European settlers.
Location
The lake is surrounded by three of South Carolina's counties: Kershaw, Fairfield and Lancaster. It is about 30 miles (48Â km) northeast of Columbia, east of I-77 just off SC 97.
Origin
Owned and managed by Duke Energy (formerly Duke Power), Lake Wateree was created in 1919 when the Wateree River was dammed. The Wateree Hydro Station produces 56 megawatts of electricity. This created a lake of nearly 14,000 acres (57Â km2) with 190 miles (310Â km) of shoreline touching three counties.
Wildlife
Lake Wateree is another South Carolina lake known for its great fishing and bountiful wildlife. The fish include Largemouth Bass, Striped bass, White Perch, White bass, Crappie, Channel catfish, Arkansas Blue Catfish, Shellcrackers, Bream.
Other wildlife that call Lake Wateree home include deer, fox, squirrel, turtle, dove, turkey, alligator, and various species of duck, hawk, eagle, egret, Heron and osprey.
See also
- Camden, South Carolina
- Great Falls, South Carolina
- Mitford, South Carolina
- List of lakes in South Carolina
References
External links
- Freshwater Fishing Regulations