Lewis Smith Lake

Lewis Smith Lake
Overhead satellite image taken in 2015 by Landsat 8 of Lewis Smith Lake located in North Alabama.
Lewis Smith Lake Lewis Smith Lake
Location	Cullman / Walker / Winston counties, Alabama, US
Coordinates	33°56′32″N 087°06′21″W
Type	Reservoir
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	21,000 acres (85 km2)
Max. depth	264 ft (80 m)
Surface elevation	510 ft (160 m)
Islands	Goat Island

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 km²) 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) of shoreline, and at full pool has a level of 510 feet (160 m).

View from the water

View from water of homes on the lake

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 (1961-09-05). The name honors Lewis Martin Smith, president of Alabama Power from 1952 to 1957.

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.

Picture of shore - Smith Lake

Tourist attractions are: Indian head cliff jump (30 ft), Castle Rock (40–50 ft), and the Castle.

ALABAMA POWER: LEWIS SMITH LAKE

Reservoir Facts			Dam Facts
Elevation Above Sea Level	510 Feet		In Service	September 05, 1961
Area	21,200 Acres		Capacity	Two Generators; Rating 78,750 Kilowatts Each
Shoreline	642 Miles		Type	Rock-Fill
Length	35 Miles		Length	2,200 Feet
Maximum Depth at Damn	264 Feet		Maximum Height	300 Feet
Area of Watershed Draining Into Reservoir	944 Square Miles

History

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 was 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.

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 (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 proximity to Birmingham and Huntsville.

Today the lake is used primarily for recreation. However, during the summer, its power plant is used during peak loads.

References

• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lewis Smith Lake