Kerr Lake

Kerr Lake
John H. Kerr Dam and Lake in Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Location	North Carolina/Virginia
Coordinates	36°34′16.13″N 78°19′33.59″W / 36.5711472°N 78.3259972°W / 36.5711472; -78.3259972Coordinates: 36°34′16.13″N 78°19′33.59″W / 36.5711472°N 78.3259972°W / 36.5711472; -78.3259972
Lake type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Roanoke River, Dan River
Primary outflows	Roanoke River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	50,000 acres (200 km²)
Average depth	30 feet (Average)
Max. depth	100 feet (at J.H.Kerr Dam)
Surface elevation	300 ft (Dead Storage), 310 ft (Power Storage), 320 feet (Flood Storage)

Kerr Lake (officially John H. Kerr Reservoir, also known as Bugg's Island Lake^[1]) is a reservoir along the border of the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia created by the John H. Kerr Dam. It was constructed in 1952 to produce electricity and for flood control and is the largest reservoir in Virginia. It is currently owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It is located in Vance County, NC, Granville County, NC, Warren County, NC, and Mecklenburg County, VA. At its maximum capacity, it's one of the largest reservoirs in the Southeastern United States. The lake has over 850 miles of shoreline and covers approximately 50,000 acres (200 km²). The lake is named for Congressman John H. Kerr of North Carolina, who supported the original creation of the lake.

The lake is actually an impoundment of the Roanoke River (also called the Staunton River in Virginia). The Dan River and several smaller creeks also feed the lake. The lake is upstream of Lake Gaston. Just downstream from the current John H. Kerr Dam, and still visible from the viewing platform below the dam at Tailrace park, lies Buggs Island, named for Samuel Bugg, an early settler. North Carolinians know this body of water as Kerr (pronounced “Karr”) Lake. Virginians know it as Buggs Island Lake or Buggs Island Reservoir.

The large lake is wildly popular with both North Carolinians and Virginians for fishing and recreational purposes. For fishing, the lake has an abundance of large-mouth bass, striped bass, crappie, catfish and bream. Camping is also a popular activity, with many campsites (also run by the Army Corps of Engineers) lining the shore including Kimball Point, Palmer Point, County Line, Hibernia, and others. Campsites for both tents and RVs are available. Jet-skiing and water-tubing occur often on the lake. Recreational motor boating and sailing also occur on the lake, with three privately-operated marinas available: Steele Creek and Satterwhite Point [1] (in North Carolina) and Clarksville (in Virginia). These marinas have rental slips for sail and motor boats, with additional amenities including fuel docks, marina stores, and some organized yacht clubs.

See also

• Kerr Lake State Recreation Area
• John H. Kerr Dam

References

External links

• Official Tourism Site
• John H. Kerr Dam Project (US Army Corps of Engineers)
• The Annual Virginia Lake Fest
• Kerr Lake Fishing Information and Guides