Lake Gaston
Facts About Lake Gaston
Lake Gaston is a hydroelectric reservoir in east United States of America. Part of the lake is in the North Carolina counties of Halifax, Northampton, and Warren. The part extending into Virginia lies in Brunswick and Mecklenburg counties. Wikipedia
Area: 31.72 sq miles (82.15 km²)
Surface elevation: 200′ (61 m)
Length: 34 miles (54.71 km)
Width: 1.299 miles (2.09 km)
Fish: Striped bass, Largemouth bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Channel catfish, Chain pickerel, Blue catfish
Islands: Wobble Island, Goat Island
Residents on and around Lake Gaston enjoy some of the lowest tax rates in the country.
More Information on Lake Gaston
The Lake Gaston Area
Rather than being a single city or township, Lake Gaston is actually constituted of a larger ‘community’ of private property owners surrounding the lake.
Our population of residents on the lake is drawn primarily from a very large and diverse mix of vacation homeowners and retirees because the lake serves both as a place for recreation, relaxation, and community.
There aren’t any public or state parks on Lake Gaston. Instead, each of the five counties surrounding the lake provide boating access to the public, and many fishing tournaments are held throughout the year.
Location
The main body of the lake rests on the border of Virginia and North Carolina, split between highway 85 and highway 95, placing Lake Gaston right on the border of the coastal and piedmont regions of the states.
There are four main quadrants of the lake: NW, SW, NE, SE. The Main Lake Bridge at Eaton Ferry is the most central point on the lake dividing the area and providing access to and from the north and south shores.
The Lake
Lake Gaston was created in 1963 as a hydroelectric power source, owned by Dominion Resources.
Lake Gaston has more than 20,000 surface acres, is 34 miles long. It is 1.3 miles across at its widest point. The average water depth is 40 feet.
As one of many lakes along the Roanoke River Basin, water feeds into Lake Gaston from the
Kerr Lake Dam upstream and flows over the Gaston Dam into the Roanoke Rapids Lake downstream.
Under normal conditions the maximum water elevations are 200 feet above mean sea level on
Gaston, and 132 feet in the Roanoke Rapids lake.
One thing that makes Lake Gaston so much more popular than any other lake around is the constant water level.
The water level only fluctuates only 6-12in.
Dominion operates the lake within the regulations and license of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the U.S. Corps of Engineers. It is monitored by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Wildlife Commissions of both North Carolina and Virginia.
Boating
The main lake runs east to west and is about 35 miles long between the two dams.
The lake also includes 20 “Creeks” that run north or south off the main body. All have access to the main body, and some require boating under a bridge. The bridge “culverts” allow passage for most boats. A couple bridges require lowering the bimini tops of tall boats.
The pontoon boat is a local favorite and seen just as often as wakeboarding boats. Some people also enjoy sailboats on the lake, and of course, in the morning the lake is spotted with fishing boats, even on the coldest of days!
Many people prefer living, boating, or swimming in the coves and creeks on Lake Gaston (which seem like large lakes themselves) because they tend to be quieter and there is less wind, surf and boating activity. Property that is not located on the “main” lake is considered to be on a ‘cove’.
Fishing
With the right protection and a fishing license, even fishing in the winter is fun. You’ll mostly find stripers, largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, walleye, white perch, and catfish when fishing, but there are other fish too.
Climate
On Lake Gaston you actually get to experience the best part of all four seasons.
Even Winter is kind with an average temperature of about 42°F. Each Winter usually brings at least 1-2 light snowfalls.
And Summer is perfect with an average temperature of about 76°F.
Topography
Lake Gaston is surrounded by hilly and flat terrain. Some areas of tend to be more elevated, but there’s no major difference between land values or topography between the 2 states.
