What Towns Cover Lake James in North Carolina

Lake James is a large reservoir in the mountains of Western North Carolina which straddles the border between Burke and McDowell Counties. It is named for tobacco tycoon and benefactor of Duke University James Buchanan Duke. The lake, with surface elevation of 1200 ft, lies behind a series of 4 earthen dams. It was created by Duk…
Lake James is a large reservoir in the mountains of Western North Carolina which straddles the border between Burke and McDowell Counties. It is named for tobacco tycoon and benefactor of Duke University James Buchanan Duke. The lake, with surface elevation of 1200 ft, lies behind a series of 4 earthen dams. It was created by Duke Power between 1916 and 1923 as a hydro-electric project. It still generates power today and is the uppermost lake on the Catawba River system.
  • Location: Burke / McDowell counties, North Carolina, United States
  • Built: August 1916
  • Catchment area: 387 square miles (1,000 km²)
  • Managing agency: Duke Energy
  • First flooded: May 1919
  • Surface area: 6,812 acres (2,757 ha)
  • Surface elevation: 1,200 feet (370 m)

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Data from: en.wikipedia.org