Lake Norman
Encyclopedia
Lake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam
Cowans Ford Dam
The Cowans Ford Dam is a dam completed in 1963 along the Catawba River on the border between Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina. The dam holds back Lake Norman and is an important source of hydroelectric power.-See also:...

 by Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...

, is the largest manmade body of fresh water located in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

.

General Information

It is fed by the Catawba River
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...

 and drains water into Mountain Island Lake
Mountain Island Lake
Mountain Island Lake was created in 1924 to coincide with the building of Mountain Island Hydroelectric Station. It is named after the mountain which appears as an island in the lake. Full pond elevation is approximately...

 in the south. It was named after former Duke Power president Norman Cocke. Lake Norman is sometimes referred to as the "inland sea" of North Carolina; it offers 520 miles (836.9 km) of shoreline and a surface area of more than 50 square miles (129.5 km²). Full pond elevation at Lake Norman is 760 feet (231.6 m). Interstate 77
Interstate 77 in North Carolina
In the U.S. state of North Carolina, Interstate 77 is a Interstate Highway, which serves the city of Charlotte and the Western Piedmont.-Route description:...

 and North Carolina Highway 150 cross Lake Norman at different points.

Lake Norman provides electricity to the Piedmont region of the Carolinas
The Carolinas
The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. Together, the two states + have a population of 13,942,126. "Carolina" would be the fifth most populous state behind California, Texas, New York, and Florida...

. It powers the generators at the hydroelectric station at Cowans Ford and is used by Marshall Steam Station
Marshall Steam Station
Marshall Steam Station is a coal power plant located at in Terrell, Catawba County, North Carolina, United States and owned by Duke Energy. Named for former company president E.C. Marshall, the station is located on Lake Norman and began commercial operation in 1965.Marshall is the second largest...

 and McGuire Nuclear Station to cool the steam that drives their turbines. The lake supplies water to Lincoln County
Lincoln County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 71,498 people, 24,041 households, and 18,174 families residing in the county. The population density was 214 people per square mile . There were 25,717 housing units at an average density of 86 per square mile...

, Iredell Co., Mooresville
Mooresville, North Carolina
Mooresville is a large suburban town in southern Iredell County, North Carolina, USA. It is in the Metrolina metro area. The population was 32,133 at the 2010 United States Census...

, Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...

, and other towns in Mecklenburg County
Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
-Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...

, particularly Davidson
Davidson, North Carolina
Davidson is a town in Mecklenburg County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 7,139 at the 2000 census. It is home to Davidson College...

 and Huntersville
Huntersville, North Carolina
Huntersville is a large town in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 46,773 at the 2010 census, which makes Huntersville the 19th largest city in North Carolina. It is located about 12 miles north of uptown Charlotte. It is thought that the town...

.

Duke Power partnered with the state of North Carolina to establish Lake Norman State Park
Lake Norman State Park
Lake Norman State Park, formerly Duke Power State Park, is a 1,328 acre North Carolina state park near Troutman, Iredell County, North Carolina in the United States. The park is on the northern shore of Lake Norman at the mouth of Hicks Creek. The park is open for year round recreation...

. It has also built two bank fishing areas and eight public boating access areas along the shoreline. One site is leased to Mecklenburg County and one to Iredell County
Iredell County, North Carolina
Iredell County, along with Moore County in the eastern Piedmont, are among a very few counties in the United States sharing borders with nine adjacent counties.-Demographics:...

. Popular game fish in Lake Norman include 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:...

 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...

, as well as striped
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...

, largemouth
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...

, white bass
White bass
The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...

 along with multiple types of turtles.

Lake Norman is also the location for one of the International Jet Sport Boats Association (IJSBA) tour stops. Team Tweek, a race team headquartered in Mooresville, helps promote and coordinate the annual event.

Lake Norman is also the location of Lake Norman Yacht Club which is the host of many South Atlantic Yaght Racing Association (SAYRA) sailboat races throughout the year. Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...

 also owns and operates a "Lake Campus" for students on Lake Norman.

Counties

  • Catawba County
    Catawba County, North Carolina
    -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 160,000 people, 55,533 households, and 39,095 families residing in the county. The population density was 354 people per square mile . There were 59,919 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile...

  • Iredell County
    Iredell County, North Carolina
    Iredell County, along with Moore County in the eastern Piedmont, are among a very few counties in the United States sharing borders with nine adjacent counties.-Demographics:...

  • Lincoln County
    Lincoln County, North Carolina
    -Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 71,498 people, 24,041 households, and 18,174 families residing in the county. The population density was 214 people per square mile . There were 25,717 housing units at an average density of 86 per square mile...

  • Mecklenburg County
    Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
    -Air:The county's primary commercial aviation airport is Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.- Intercity rail :With twenty-five freight trains a day, Mecklenburg is a freight railroad transportation center, largely due to its place on the NS main line between Washington and Atlanta...


Settlements

  • Cornelius
    Cornelius, North Carolina
    Cornelius is a town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 11,969 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cornelius is located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County...

  • Davidson
    Davidson, North Carolina
    Davidson is a town in Mecklenburg County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 7,139 at the 2000 census. It is home to Davidson College...

  • Denver
    Denver, North Carolina
    Denver, formerly known as "Dry Pond," is an unincorporated community located in Lincoln County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is situated on North Carolina State Highway 16 on the west side of Lake Norman on the Catawba River...

  • Governors Island
    Governors Island (North Carolina)
    Governors Island is the one of the few islands with permanent residents on Lake Norman, in Lincoln County, North Carolina, USA. The island is a small, wealthy community on Lake Norman located 20 miles northwest of Charlotte, North Carolina and less than half a mile from Westport, North Carolina in...

  • Huntersville
    Huntersville, North Carolina
    Huntersville is a large town in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties, North Carolina, United States. The population was 46,773 at the 2010 census, which makes Huntersville the 19th largest city in North Carolina. It is located about 12 miles north of uptown Charlotte. It is thought that the town...

  • Lake Norman of Catawba
    Lake Norman of Catawba, North Carolina
    Lake Norman of Catawba is a census-designated place in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,744 at the 2000 census...

  • Mooresville
    Mooresville, North Carolina
    Mooresville is a large suburban town in southern Iredell County, North Carolina, USA. It is in the Metrolina metro area. The population was 32,133 at the 2010 United States Census...

  • Troutman
    Troutman, North Carolina
    Troutman is a town in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,592 at the 2000 census. It is the home of NASCAR driver Josh Richeson.-Geography:Troutman is located at ....

  • Westport
    Westport, North Carolina
    Westport is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in Westport Cove on Lake Norman in Lincoln County, North Carolina, United States. The population of the CDP was 2,006 at the 2000 census...

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