Summersville Lake State Park

Summersville Lake State Park
Map showing the location of Summersville Lake State Park
Map showing the location of Summersville Lake State Park
Location of Summersville Lake State Park in West Virginia
LocationNicholas, West Virginia, United States
Nearest citySummersville, West Virginia[1]
Coordinates38°14′44″N 80°51′21″W / 38.24556°N 80.85583°W / 38.24556; -80.85583[1]
Area177 acres (72 ha)[2]
Elevation1,779.5 ft (542.4 m)[1]
DesignatedAugust 11, 2023[2]
Named forSummersville Lake[2]
Governing bodyWest Virginia Division of Natural Resources
Websitewvstateparks.com/summersville/

Summersville Lake State Park is a state park located on the northern shore of Summersville Lake, a reservoir on the Gauley River in the U.S. state of West Virginia.

Geography and setting

Summersville Lake State Park spans 177 acres (72 ha) of forested hills along the northern shore of Summersville Lake, a reservoir on the Gauley River.[1][2] As the largest lake in West Virginia, Summersville Lake covers 2,790 acres (1,130 ha) with over 60 miles (97 km) of shoreline at the summer pool water level.[3][4]

The park is situated near the eastern edge of U.S. Route 19 (US 19) and West Virginia Route 41 (WV 41), about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Summersville.[1][5] Salmon Run, a nearby stream, flows parallel to US 19 and WV 41 and it joins Summersville Lake just west of Hughes Bridge, which carries US 19 and WV 41 over the lake.[1] Although the park borders the cliffs overlooking the lake,[1][5] it does not directly adjoin the shoreline, which is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).[6]

Background

Summersville Lake and Dam

Main article: Summersville Lake

The USACE constructed Summersville Lake between 1960 and 1966 to control flooding in an 803-square-mile (2,080 km2) area of the Gauley and Kanawha rivers' watershed.[3] President Lyndon B. Johnson dedicated the Summersville Lake and Dam on September 3, 1966.[4]

Park establishment and operation

In 2023, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice sent a bill to the West Virginia Legislature officially designating land along the northern shore of Summersville Lake as Summersville Lake State Park.[7] Governor Justice announced the bill and the plans to create the state park on August 6, 2023. [2][7] The West Virginia Legislature passed House Bill 214, and Governor Justice signed the bill to officially designate Summersville Lake State Park at the park site on August 11, 2023.[2][8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Mount Nebo Quadrangle, West Virginia (PDF) (Map). 1:24,000. 7.5 Minute Series (Topographic). Reston, Virginia: United States Geological Survey. 2023. OCLC 35765504. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Summersville Lake State Park". West Virginia State Parks. 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Summersville Lake". USACE Huntington District. January 5, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "September 3, 1966: Summersville Lake and Dam Dedicated". West Virginia Public Broadcasting. September 3, 2018. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Summersville Lake State Park" (PDF). West Virginia State Parks Map of Summersville Lake State Park. August 14, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  6. ^ Yohe, Randy (October 25, 2023). "Private Company To Operate All Summersville Lake State Park Facilities". West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Gov. Justice announces Summersville Lake to become West Virginia's newest State Park". Office of the Governor. August 6, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  8. ^ "Gov. Justice signs bill officially designating Summersville Lake State Park". Office of the Governor. August 11, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2024.