What’s the Largest Man-Made Lake in West Virginia?

West Virginia is the Mountain State of the Appalachians due to its rugged mountains, scenic landscapes, and incredible wildlife. However, did you know that despite its natural mountain ranges, all but one of West Virginia’s lakes are man-made? Let’s find out which is the largest man-made lake in West Virginia and what you can do there.

What’s West Virginia’s Largest Man-Made Lake?

The largest man-made lake in West Virginia is Summersville Lake, located just south of Summersville in Nicholas County. At summer levels, it has 60 miles of shoreline and over 2,700 acres of superb-quality water.

Summersville Lake is actually a 327-foot-deep reservoir due to the Summersville Dam. It’s surrounded by incredible rocky cliffs and stunning forested landscapes. This lake is so popular with scuba divers, kayakers, anglers, picnickers, and swimmers that its nickname is the Bahamas of the East Coast!

West Virginia’s Division of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Section manages Summersville Lake throughout the year.

Where to Find Summersville Lake on a Map

Summersville Lake is a popular destination that can be found in the mountains of West Virginia. It is situated in Nicholas County, specifically on the Gauley River, which runs through it. The lake covers an area of approximately 2,800 acres and has over sixty miles of shoreline to explore. To locate Summersville Lake on a map, one should look for Nicholas County within West Virginia state borders. Then simply follow Route 19 South from Summersville until you reach the signposted turn-off for the lake at Salmon Run Road.

History of the Largest Man-Made Lake in West Virginia

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created Summersville Lake, the largest man-made lake in West Virginia, when they built Summersville Dam to control floods from the Gauley and Kanawha rivers.

Summersville Dam manages 803 square miles of water. It was built primarily for flood defense, but it’s better known as a recreational area these days. The dam is 390 feet (120 meters) tall and 22,800 feet (690 meters) long. 12 million cubic yards of earth and rocks are part of its construction!

Construction began in May 1961 and was completed in 1966. Officials hailed it as a modern marvel. It’s the second-largest dam of its type in the Eastern United States. It cost $48 million to build. Experts say it paid for itself by the 1970s because it prevented so much flood damage to the surrounding areas. Experts estimate it saved $407,400,000 in flood damages over the years.

It converted to a hydroelectricity generating scheme in 2001 and creates huge amounts of power when the water flows through its 28 feet diameter release pipe. The Gauley River turns into a white water rafting heaven (classed destination 2) when its water releases each September! Its water is drained to make room for winter’s snow melt.

There’s a Drowned Village Beneath Summersville Lake!

Believe it or not, a whole village lies beneath Summersville Lake, just like a modern-day Atlantis!

The village of Gad existed from the 1800s to 1960 on exactly the spot where the lake now sits. It was a farming village with a local store and a small primary school. The whole village was sold, and the inhabitants moved away for the construction of the Gad dam. When water levels are low, it’s possible to see the village’s drowned roads and even graffiti carved into the rocks by its previous inhabitants.

You may have stifled a giggle over the name “Gad dam,” and you aren’t the only one to do so! Officials did not like the name and its potential misuse, so they looked for inspiration and found it in the nearby town of Summersville.

Gauley River Fills Summersville Lake

Picturesque River Gauley fills Lake Summersville, the largest man-made lake in West Virginia. Historically, residents may not have found it too picturesque when it flooded and destroyed their homes and crops, but today the Gauley River is a big tourist attraction.

The Gauley River is 105 miles long and merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River. It rises in Pocahontas County in the Monongahela National Forest on Gauley Mountain.

Wildlife of Summersville Lake

West Virginia’s largest man-made lake attracts wildlife looking for water. The surrounding area is rugged, and forested, so a freshwater supply is a big draw for local wildlife. As a result, Summersville Lake is home to grouse, turkey squirrel, bear, and deer.

In addition, the lake has a huge fish population that includes species such as channel catfish, large and smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye, and bluegills. The lake’s tailwater is full of rainbow trout from February to May! It’s healthy, and the numerous fish are a big draw for anglers.

Bird-spotting fans observe birds, including the Carolina wren, blue jay, eastern towhee, eagles, warblers, and tufted titmouse, all year round.

Lake Summersville is a wildlife paradise.

What to Do at the Largest Man-Made Lake in West Virginia

Lake Summersville’s original purpose was preventing flood damage, but since its hydroelectricity conversion, its peak flow creates 80 megawatts of electricity. This contributes to clean power and a healthier environment for us all.  

It’s also a popular tourist destination and one of the top lakes to visit in West Virginia. It has a marina, four boat ramps, 350 tent and trailer campsites, hiking trails, picnic areas, and wheelchair-accessible features.

The main leisure pursuits here are scuba diving, boating, fishing, and swimming. A small boat sunk in the lake attracts scuba divers, and there’s a no-wake zone for casual boaters beyond the Route 19 bridge. Brave white-water enthusiasts love its challenging white water stream in September during the partial drainage of the lake to collect winter snow melt.

Hikers enjoy searching out West Virginia’s only working lighthouse (hint, it’s on Summersville Lake cliffs). The surrounding mountains are popular with rock climbers. However, a word of warning. Cliff jumping is banned at Summersville Lake after a series of nasty accidents and a fatality in 2019. Jumping from more than six feet is prohibited.

Man-Made Lakes in West Virginia

West Virginia has lots of man-made lakes to visit. They’re not as big as Summersville Lake, the largest man-made lake in West Virginia, but here are five of the most popular West Virginian lakes:

Cheat Lake

Cheat Lake is a 21-kilometer-long reservoir east of Morgantown. It has a swimming beach, biking and hiking trails, and plenty of fishing platforms. The lake is popular with families, picnickers, and bird watchers who spot vulture eagles, belted kingfishers, and great blue herons there.

Stonewall Jackson Lake

Off Interstate 79 in Lewis County is 2,630 acre Stonewall Jackson Lake. It overlooks a dam and has lots of swimming and fishing areas with boat slips and watercraft rentals. This reservoir is named for locally born Thomas Stonewall Jackson, a Confederate general during the American Civil War.

Lake Sherwood

Lake Sherwood sits in the Monongahela National Forest at 2,700 feet above sea level. It’s a 164-acre reservoir and the coldest lake in West Virginia according to tourists! Despite that, it boasts beautiful swimming areas, beaches, and trails.

Sleepy Creek Lake

Sleepy Creek Lake in Berkeley County has excellent bass fishing. A record-breaking 10.8-pounder catch was in 1979! It’s a 205-acre reservoir with an average depth of nine feet (2.7 meters). The reservoir sits in the Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area between two mountain ranges, and it’s a big draw for wildlife enthusiasts who regularly spot deer, turkeys, and eagles in the area.

Trout Pond

We can’t read about the largest man-made lake in West Virginia without quickly mentioning it’s only a natural lake!

Trout Pond is the only natural lake in West Virginia. It is located in the Trout Pond Recreation Area in George Washington National Park, near Wardensville in Hardy County.

Previously, it was Old Pond, which testifies to its small size, ranging from half an acre to three acres, depending on rainfall.

Trout Pond is a sinkhole filled with the surrounding mountain’s snowmelt. Since 2002, Trout Pond has dried out completely and refilled after rainfall. The forest service believes there’s a shift in the underlying limestone causing a leak.

What’s the Largest Man Made Lake in West Virginia?

West Virginia’s largest man-made lake is a must-see.

Summersville Lake is a popular spot with water enthusiasts, rock climbers, and hikers, but it’s large enough to find seclusion and beautiful enough to satisfy lovers of the great outdoors. Keep your eyes peeled for traces of the drowned village below its water line!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/EntropyWorkshop