Mountain Island Lake
Encyclopedia
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 647.5 feet (197 m). The lake has around 3281 acres (13 km²) of surface area and 61 miles (98 km) of shoreline.
, and is the smallest of the three man-made lakes that border Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
(Lake Norman
, and Lake Wylie
). Mountain Island Lake is managed by Charlotte
-based company Duke Energy
. The primary function of Mountain Island Lake is to provide drinking water for residents of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County
, as well as Mount Holly and Gastonia, Gaston County
. The lake is also accessible to the public for boating and fishing use. There are two boating access areas on the lake and a tailrace fishing platform for bank fishing in cooperation with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
. Latta was a successful traveling merchant through 1820, Mr. Latta then retired and turned his property into a cotton plantation consisting of 742 acres and 34 enslaved people. After Mr. Latta's death in 1837, his wife Jane sold the property to David Harry. In 1853, William Sample purchased the property, which was owned by the Sample family until 1922. Crescent Land and Timber, a subsidiary of Duke Power, then purchased the property because of its proximity to the Catawba River and the construction of the dam. It is now a museum.
River, Water, and Lake Access
Mountain Island Lake is fed by the Catawba RiverCatawba 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 is the smallest of the three man-made lakes that border Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
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...
(Lake Norman
Lake Norman
Lake Norman, created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy, is the largest manmade body of fresh water located in North Carolina.-General Information:...
, and Lake Wylie
Lake Wylie
Lake Wylie is a reservoir, or man-made lake in the U.S. states of both South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of and features of shore line.-History:...
). Mountain Island Lake is managed by Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
-based company 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:...
. The primary function of Mountain Island Lake is to provide drinking water for residents of Charlotte, 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...
, as well as Mount Holly and Gastonia, Gaston County
Gaston County, North Carolina
Gaston County is a county located just west of Charlotte in the southern Piedmont in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third largest county, by population, in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area, officially designated the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of...
. The lake is also accessible to the public for boating and fishing use. There are two boating access areas on the lake and a tailrace fishing platform for bank fishing in cooperation with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Power Generation
The lake generates hydro-electric power and supports Riverbend Steam Station by cooling the steam that drives the turbines.Mountain Island Hydro Station
Mountain Island Hydro Station is a four-unit generating facility with a capacity of 60 megawatts located in Gaston County, North Carolina. It was built in 1923 to meet the growing demand for electricity by homeowners in the Carolinas. At the time, electricity was largely used by industrial customers.Riverbend Steam Station
Riverbend Steam Station is a 454 megawatt, coal-fired generating facility located in Gaston County, North Carolina. It was first built in 1929. The four-unit station is named for a bend in the Catawba River on which it is located. Riverbend is considered a cycling station and is brought on line to supplement supply when electricity demand is highest. Four gas-fired combustion turbine units are also housed on the site.Attractions
Inside of Mountain Island Lake is a small island called Mountain Island. Other area attractions include the historic Rural Hill Farm, Historic Latta Plantation, and the Carolina Raptor Center.Carolina Raptor Center
The Carolina Raptor Center is dedicated to environmental stewardship and the conservation of birds of prey, through education, research, and the rehabilitation of injured and orphan raptors. Over 23 different species of raptors are on a 3/4 mile long nature trail inside of Latta Plantation Nature Preserve on the banks of Mountain Island Lake.Historic Latta Plantation
The Plantation was built in 1800 and was called Latta Place after its owner James Latta, an immigrant from Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Latta was a successful traveling merchant through 1820, Mr. Latta then retired and turned his property into a cotton plantation consisting of 742 acres and 34 enslaved people. After Mr. Latta's death in 1837, his wife Jane sold the property to David Harry. In 1853, William Sample purchased the property, which was owned by the Sample family until 1922. Crescent Land and Timber, a subsidiary of Duke Power, then purchased the property because of its proximity to the Catawba River and the construction of the dam. It is now a museum.