Lake Anna
Encyclopedia
Lake Anna is one of the largest freshwater
inland lake
s in Virginia
, covering an area of 13,000 acres (53 km²), and located 72 miles (116 km) south of Washington, D.C.
in Louisa
and Spotsylvania
counties (and partially in Orange County
at the northern tips). The lake is easily accessible from Richmond
and Charlottesville
, and is one of the most popular recreational lakes in the state.
is formed by the North Anna Dam on the North Anna River
at 38°00′47"N 77°42′46"W. In 1968, Virginia Electric and Power Company (now Dominion) purchased 18,000 acres (73 km²) of farmlands in three counties along the North Anna and Pamunkey River
s to provide clean, fresh water to cool the nuclear power generating plants
at the North Anna Nuclear Generating Station
adjacent to the lake. By 1972 the lake bottom was cleared of all timber and the dam was nearing completion. It was projected to take three years to completely fill the lake, but with the additional rainfall from Hurricane Agnes
, the lake was full in only 18 months. The first communities broke ground at about that same time and now some 120 different communities dot the shores of the lake. In March 1986, construction on the dam's 1 megawatt hydroelectric power plant began and the two generators went into commercial operation in December 1987. In 2010, a boating accident occurred on the lake, killing a Spotsylvania County Sheriff's deputy.
s. The public and private sides are divided by three stone dikes. The private side has no marinas or public access ramps; only property owners and North Anna Power Station employees have access to the waters of the private side. The public side has several marinas and boat launches, including a boat ramp at the state park. The public side sees significantly higher boat traffic than the private side, especially on summer weekends.
The public side is known as the "cold" side because it provides water to cool the generators at the power plant; the private or "hot" side receives warm water discharge from the power plant. The private side can be substantially warmer than the public side, especially near the discharge point, where it can be too hot for swimming. The private side has an extended water sports season. Some water circulates back out of the private side into the public side through underground channels; consequently, the public side is warmer in the southern area near the dam. In the winter, some fish migrate to these warmer waters.
Preliminary steps toward the addition of a third reactor have raised protests from environmentalists and property owners, who fear an increase in the water temperature and a decrease in the water level, particularly on the private side. According to Dominion, the water discharged from the plant is usually about 14 degrees F warmer than the intake water.
. It is 30 ft (9 m) wide at its crest which sits at an elevation of 265 ft (81 m) above sea level. The dam's spillway is located in the center of its body and is 200 ft (61 m) wide, containing three main 40 ft (12 m) wide and 30 ft (9 m) high radial gates. Two smaller 8.5 ft (3 m) wide and tall gates on the outer edges of the spillway section maintain normal discharges. Normal elevation for the reservoir is 250 ft (76 m). The dam's hydroelectric power plant is located on the west side of the spillway and is supplied with water via a 5 ft (2 m) diameter penstock
. The plant consists of two small open runner turbine-generators, the largest with a 775 kw capacity and the smallest rated at 225 kw for a combined installed capacity of 1 MW.
, boating
, world-class fishing
, and multiple annual triathlon
s. Surrounding attractions include vineyards, antique shopping, golf, historic sites, theme parks, and hiking. To get the most out of the lake, one can rent a boat from various local marinas and businesses. Sailboat enthusiasts will prefer the more open, wide water appeal of the southern end of the lake, although the lake's several bridges, including the main 208 bridge, are too low for a sailboat to pass beneath. Water sports junkies tend to enjoy the mid-lake area, while the fishing crowd has lots of hot spots in nooks and crannies of the northern "on Golden pond" end. Anglers fish for over 30 species including largemouth bass
, striped bass
, walleye
, catfish
, crappie
, bluegill
, white perch
and yellow perch
. Weekly fishing leagues keep local residents happy, while sanctioned tournaments bring fishermen and women from afar.
Lake Anna State Park
, complete with picnic areas and boat launching ramps, is located directly on the lake on the public side, making it available to everyone. The park also has a beach area with snack bar, docks, an exhibit center showing how the lake was created, and miles of hiking and horse trails. One can tour the remains of Goodwin gold mine and pan for gold. The original plantation house still stands in ruins and a hiking trail leads to it. The state park offers rental cabins for overnight lodging. Visitors also can stay at waterfront hotels, or in any of dozens of available vacation rental waterfront homes.
festival, with an International/Olympic-distance race and a sprint-distance race held on consecutive days.
It also hosts the Kinetic Race weekend in May with a half-distance race on Saturday and a sprint-distance race on Sunday
Then, the lake hosts the Giant Acorn triathlon weekend in the fall. This weekend also features an International/Olympic-distance triathlon followed by a sprint-distance triathlon on the next day.
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
inland lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, covering an area of 13,000 acres (53 km²), and located 72 miles (116 km) south of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in Louisa
Louisa County, Virginia
Louisa County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 33,153. The county seat is Louisa.- History :...
and Spotsylvania
Spotsylvania County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,395 people, 31,308 households, and 24,639 families residing in the county. The population density was 226 people per square mile . There were 33,329 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile...
counties (and partially in Orange County
Orange County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,881 people, 10,150 households, and 7,470 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 11,354 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
at the northern tips). The lake is easily accessible from Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, and is one of the most popular recreational lakes in the state.
History
The reservoirReservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
is formed by the North Anna Dam on the North Anna River
North Anna River
The North Anna River is a principal tributary of the Pamunkey River, about long, in central Virginia in the United States. Via the Pamunkey and York rivers, it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay...
at 38°00′47"N 77°42′46"W. In 1968, Virginia Electric and Power Company (now Dominion) purchased 18,000 acres (73 km²) of farmlands in three counties along the North Anna and Pamunkey River
Pamunkey River
The Pamunkey River is a tributary of the York River, about long, in eastern Virginia in the United States. Via the York River it is part of the watershed of Chesapeake Bay.-Course:...
s to provide clean, fresh water to cool the nuclear power generating plants
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
at the North Anna Nuclear Generating Station
North Anna Nuclear Generating Station
The North Anna Nuclear Generating Station is a nuclear power plant on a site in Louisa County, Virginia. The site is operated by Dominion Generation company and is jointly owned by the Dominion Virginia Power corporation and by the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative .The plant has two Westinghouse...
adjacent to the lake. By 1972 the lake bottom was cleared of all timber and the dam was nearing completion. It was projected to take three years to completely fill the lake, but with the additional rainfall from Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
, the lake was full in only 18 months. The first communities broke ground at about that same time and now some 120 different communities dot the shores of the lake. In March 1986, construction on the dam's 1 megawatt hydroelectric power plant began and the two generators went into commercial operation in December 1987. In 2010, a boating accident occurred on the lake, killing a Spotsylvania County Sheriff's deputy.
Description
Lake Anna is approximately 17 miles (27.4 km) long from tip to tip, with some 200 miles (300 km) of shoreline. The lake is divided into two sides: the public side (also known as the "cold" side) and the private side (also known as the "hot" side). The public side is roughly 9,000 acres (36 km²), while the private side is roughly 4,000 acres (16 km²). The private side is formed of three main bodies of water, connected by navigable canalCanal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s. The public and private sides are divided by three stone dikes. The private side has no marinas or public access ramps; only property owners and North Anna Power Station employees have access to the waters of the private side. The public side has several marinas and boat launches, including a boat ramp at the state park. The public side sees significantly higher boat traffic than the private side, especially on summer weekends.
The public side is known as the "cold" side because it provides water to cool the generators at the power plant; the private or "hot" side receives warm water discharge from the power plant. The private side can be substantially warmer than the public side, especially near the discharge point, where it can be too hot for swimming. The private side has an extended water sports season. Some water circulates back out of the private side into the public side through underground channels; consequently, the public side is warmer in the southern area near the dam. In the winter, some fish migrate to these warmer waters.
Preliminary steps toward the addition of a third reactor have raised protests from environmentalists and property owners, who fear an increase in the water temperature and a decrease in the water level, particularly on the private side. According to Dominion, the water discharged from the plant is usually about 14 degrees F warmer than the intake water.
North Anna Dam
The dam creating the lake, North Anna Dam, is a 5000 ft (1,524 m) long and 90 ft (27 m) high earthen embankment damEmbankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
. It is 30 ft (9 m) wide at its crest which sits at an elevation of 265 ft (81 m) above sea level. The dam's spillway is located in the center of its body and is 200 ft (61 m) wide, containing three main 40 ft (12 m) wide and 30 ft (9 m) high radial gates. Two smaller 8.5 ft (3 m) wide and tall gates on the outer edges of the spillway section maintain normal discharges. Normal elevation for the reservoir is 250 ft (76 m). The dam's hydroelectric power plant is located on the west side of the spillway and is supplied with water via a 5 ft (2 m) diameter penstock
Penstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
. The plant consists of two small open runner turbine-generators, the largest with a 775 kw capacity and the smallest rated at 225 kw for a combined installed capacity of 1 MW.
Use and recreation
Gaining in popularity as a vacation destination, a retirement destination, and a second home location for many, the manmade lake offers swimming, sailingSailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, world-class fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and multiple annual triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
s. Surrounding attractions include vineyards, antique shopping, golf, historic sites, theme parks, and hiking. To get the most out of the lake, one can rent a boat from various local marinas and businesses. Sailboat enthusiasts will prefer the more open, wide water appeal of the southern end of the lake, although the lake's several bridges, including the main 208 bridge, are too low for a sailboat to pass beneath. Water sports junkies tend to enjoy the mid-lake area, while the fishing crowd has lots of hot spots in nooks and crannies of the northern "on Golden pond" end. Anglers fish for over 30 species including largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, striped bass
Striped bass
The striped bass is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and the state saltwater fish of New York, Virginia, and New Hampshire...
, walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, white perch
White perch
The white perch, Morone americana, is not a true perch but is, rather, a fish of the temperate bass family, Moronidae, notable as a food and game fish in eastern North America.The name "white perch" is sometimes erroneously applied to the white crappie....
and yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
. Weekly fishing leagues keep local residents happy, while sanctioned tournaments bring fishermen and women from afar.
Lake Anna State Park
Lake Anna State Park
Lake Anna State Park is a state park located in Spotsylvania County in Virginia. Initially the site of the Goodwin Gold Mine - gold was first discovered at the site in 1829 - the land later played host to Lake Anna, a reservoir created to serve as a coolant for Dominion Power's nearby nuclear...
, complete with picnic areas and boat launching ramps, is located directly on the lake on the public side, making it available to everyone. The park also has a beach area with snack bar, docks, an exhibit center showing how the lake was created, and miles of hiking and horse trails. One can tour the remains of Goodwin gold mine and pan for gold. The original plantation house still stands in ruins and a hiking trail leads to it. The state park offers rental cabins for overnight lodging. Visitors also can stay at waterfront hotels, or in any of dozens of available vacation rental waterfront homes.
Triathlon festivals
Lake Anna is the site of Rumpus in Bumpass, an annual spring triathlonTriathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
festival, with an International/Olympic-distance race and a sprint-distance race held on consecutive days.
It also hosts the Kinetic Race weekend in May with a half-distance race on Saturday and a sprint-distance race on Sunday
Then, the lake hosts the Giant Acorn triathlon weekend in the fall. This weekend also features an International/Olympic-distance triathlon followed by a sprint-distance triathlon on the next day.