Lake James

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 (366 m), 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.

This article is about the lake in North Carolina, US. For the lake in Indiana, US, see Lake James (Indiana). For the lake in Manitoba, Canada, see Lake James (Manitoba).
Lake James
Lake James in May 2010
Lake James
Lake James
LocationBurke / McDowell counties, North Carolina, United States
Coordinates35°44′36″N 81°53′04″W
Typereservoir
Catchment area387 square miles (1,000 km2)
Managing agencyDuke Energy
BuiltAugust 1916 (1916-08)
First floodedMay 1919 (1919-05)
Surface area6,812 acres (2,757 ha)
Surface elevation1,200 feet (370 m)
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