Lake Wateree


Lake Wateree is a 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 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 northeast of Columbia, east of I-77 just off SC 97.

Origin

Owned and managed by Duke Energy, 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 with of shoreline touching three counties. The lake is an average of deep with an estimated volume of.

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.