Hyco Lake

Infobox lake
lake_name = Hyco Lake
image_lake = hycolakesunset.jpg
caption_lake = sunset
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = North Carolina
coords = coord|36|30|46|N|079|02|49|W|region:US-NC_type:waterbody_source:gnis|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
inflow = Hyco River
outflow =
catchment =
basin_countries = United States
length =
width =
area = convert|3750|acre|abbr=on
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
cities =

Hyco Lake is a Reservoir in Person and Caswell counties, North Carolina. It is the area's main destination for fishing, boating, water skiing, wake boarding, and recreation. It was built in the early 1960s as a dam for the first of Person County's Progress Energy Inc electric generating plants. It is the largest of Person County's two lakes, the other being Mayo Lake. The lake was constructed on the Hyco River and has three main tributaries; North Hyco Creek, South Hyco Creek, and Cobb's Creek. Interest in the lake for vacation homes has created numerous homes along its shores with relatively high property values. Over 1200 homes have been constructed around the lake with approximately 800 occupied year round. It runs through two main municipalities: Semora, and Leasburg, and one main town Roxboro located about ten miles (16 km) away from the lake.

Hyco Lake was constructed in the early 1960s by Carolina Power and Light Company (now Progress Energy Inc) as a cooling reservoir for their steam electric generating plant. Since its establishment, the lake and its recreation park has been under the jurisdiction of the Person-Caswell Lake Authority which is responsible for governing and developing the recreation potential of the lake and park. The water is regulating by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Progress Energy Inc owns the land the lake is contained by and up to the convert|420|ft|m|sing=on above sea level mark on all adjacent shore land. The lake covers convert|3750|acre, containing around 25 billion gallons of water, with convert|120|mi|km of shoreline. The lake was filled in the Spring of 1965 by Hurricane Hilda.

The lake derives its name from the word "Hicotaminy" which is what the native Indians called the area. Hicotaminy means "great turkey buzzard".

References

* [http://www.hycolake-nc.com/ Hyco Lake]
*gnis|987306

External links

* [http://www.visitroxboronc.com/recreation/hyco_lake.htm Roxboro and Person County Hyco Lake page]