Smith Mountain Lake History 101

With over 500 miles of shoreline, Smith Mountain Lake is a beautiful natural paradise with plenty of space for recreation. First created to harness hydro-electric power from the Roanoke River, this man-made lake has since transformed into a picturesque setting situated in Southern Virginia. Smith Mountain lake is Virginia’s second-largest lake stretching over 32 square miles and has an average depth of 55 feet.  It’s hard to believe it didn’t exist until 1963.

History

In 1960, Appalachian Power Co., a subsidiary of American Electric Power, began construction on the two dams that would create Smith Mountain Lake, though serious calls for the Smith Mountain Project began in the 1920s. 

The Smith Mountain and Leesville Dams were built to harness the power of the Roanoke River and generate hydro-electric power for Appalachian Power.  Smith Mountain Lake serves as the upper reservoir and Leesville Lake as the lower reservoir. When water is released through the dam at Smith Mountain Lake, it passes through turbines that generate electricity. The water is then discharged to Leesville Lake and is then pumped back into Smith Mountain Lake for reuse. When water is running through the turbines to generate power for the area, the level of Smith Mountain Lake can fluctuate by two feet! 

This amazing project took a lot of work before it was able to provide power.  Roughly 200 workers cleared 300,000 cubic yards of mountainside at Smith Mountain Gap before pouring 175,000 cubic yards of concrete to complete the project. In addition to the dam, Appalachian Power built several bridges to manage traffic around the lake.

The Smith Mountain and Leesville Dams were completed in 1963, when the Roanoke and Blackwater Rivers began to fill them. It took until March 7 of 1966 for the lakes to reach capacity. The Smith Mountain Dam now rises 235 feet above the floor of the gap and spans 816 feet. The Leesville Dam is 90 feet tall and spans 980 feet.

The area that was flooded to create Smith Mountain Lake was primarily rural farmland, but it’s easy to imagine that the lake bed may look a bit like a lost world.

Today the dams are capable of producing 605,000 kilowatts of electricity. To put that in perspective, that amount of electricity could power an average U.S. house for almost two years.

To learn more about Smith Mountain Lake History, visit the Smith Mountain Dam Visitors Center. In addition to a picnic area and a chance for some great views of the dam, there are exhibits that tell the history of the dams and explain how they generate power.

 Recreation

The Smith Mountain Dam not only generates power for Appalachian Power, it also created Smith Mountain Lake, known as The Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The project resulted in 20,000 acres of water that are perfect for boating, fishing, jet skiing and swimming.

The project not only created power for the region, it also created a beautiful vacation destination with a booming economy and no shortage of things to see and do.

To truly appreciate this man-made wonder, you have to get out on the lake itself. Rent a boat or jet ski from Bridgewater Marina in Halesford, just minutes from Halesford Harbour Inn & Marina, and cruise along the more than 500 miles of coastline that make up Smith Mountain Lake.

 If it’s a beach day you’re after, you can walk right down to the private beach here at Halesford Harbour Inn & Marina and enjoy a day of fun in the sun or head to Smith Mountain Lake State Park. The park boasts a 500-foot beach as well as hiking trails, boat rentals, jet ski rentals and a lakeside snack bar.

Anglers will be happy to know that Smith Mountain Lake is chock full of bass, as well as stripers, perch, catfish and sunfish. When you stay at Halesford Harbour Inn & Marina, spending a day fishing is a breeze. You can dock your boat for easy access to the water and all of our great amenities.

 Whether you’re visiting Smith Mountain Lake to fish, boat or just kick back and relax on the shores of the lake, your trip is sure to be richer once you have an appreciation for how this beautiful oasis came to be. When you’re drinking in sunset views or floating on peaceful waters, it might be hard to believe that this 32-square mile aquatic playground didn’t exist until 1963, but we’re sure glad that the Smith Mountain Dam gave us such a beautiful place to boat, fish and swim.

Book your stay at Halesford Harbour Inn & Marina and start exploring Smith Mountain Lake today!