Man-made reservoir in Alabama, United States
Lewis Smith Lake
, also known as
Smith Lake
, is a
reservoir
in north
Alabama
. Located on the
Sipsey Fork
of the
Black Warrior River
, it covers over 21,000 acres (85 km
2
)
[1]
in
Cullman
,
Walker
, and
Winston Counties
. The maximum depth at the dam is 264 feet (80 m). It is the deepest lake in Alabama. The three-fingered reservoir has over 500 miles (800 km)
[1]
of shoreline, and at full pool has a level of 510 feet (160 m).
[2]
The lake was created by
Alabama Power
with the construction of the
Lewis Smith Dam
. One of the largest earthen dams in the eastern
United States
, it stretches 2,200 feet (670 m) in length and reaches a maximum height of 300 feet (91 m). Construction began on November 25, 1957, and the dam entered service on September 5, 1961
(62 years ago)
(
1961-09-05
)
. The name honors Lewis Martin Smith, president of Alabama Power from 1952 to 1957.
[3]
Nearby towns include
Bremen
,
Cullman
,
Good Hope
,
Crane Hill
and
Dodge City
in Cullman County;
Curry
and
Jasper
in Walker County; and
Addison
,
Arley
,
Houston
, and
Double Springs
. The western side of Smith Lake is partially surrounded by
William B. Bankhead
which offers camping along the lake's shoreline.
[4]
Tourist attractions are: Indian head cliff jump (30 ft), Castle Rock (40?50 ft), and the Castle.
History
[
edit
]
Due to the demand of coal along the
Black Warrior River
in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, a series of locks and dams were added north of the city of
Tuscaloosa
. To better regulate the water levels in these locks and dams, local business leaders pressured the federal government to build a dam on the upper fork of the Sipsey Fork tributary of the Black Warrior River. The planned lake would also provide additional power to the surrounding area during peak hours as well as provide a source of recreational income to the otherwise sparsely populated area.
[5]
On July 27, 1954 Alabama power filed an application with the Federal Power commission for construction of the lake. Construction began on November 25, 1957, and the dam was formally dedicated on May 23, 1961
(63 years ago)
(
1961-05-23
)
at a cost of $29 million. For the first 20 years, the lake remained relatively undeveloped. During the 1980s and 1990s the lake saw a rapid growth in recreation due to its proximity to the cities of
Birmingham
and
Huntsville
.
[5]
Today the lake is used primarily for recreation, however during the summer its power plant is used during peak loads.
[5]
References
[
edit
]