Lake Norman, the state's largest manmade lake was impounded in the early 1960's. Located northwest of Charlotte, NC and southwest of Statesville, NC, Lake Norman rambles close to Interstate 77. Named for Norman Atwater Cocke, a retired president of Duke Power, Lake Norman stretches 34 miles from Cowans Ford Dam on the southern end to the tailrace of Lookout Lake at the northern end.
The lake provides plenty of room to stretch out and relax, with a surface area of 32,510 acres and a shoreline of approximately 520 miles. Several parks in Mecklenburg and southern Iredell County offer public access for swimming and boating. Lake Norman was created when Duke Power Co. dammed the Catawba River to generate hydroelectric power. Duke operates three power plants on the lake; McGuire Nuclear Station, Marshall Steam Station (Highway 150 West) and Cowans Ford Hydroelectric Station. Lake Norman's shoreline rambles through Mecklenburg, Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln counties. The Catawba River meanders through the Carolinas for 450 miles, becoming the Wateree, the Santee and, finally, the Cooper River just before it flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Charleston.
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Distances are calculated as the crow flies, and are provided as an aid in planning only.
