Lake Marion (South Carolina)

Infobox lake
lake_name = Lake Marion
image_lake =
caption_lake =
image_bathymetry =
caption_bathymetry =
location = Orangeburg County, South Carolina
coords = coord|33.46238|N|80.251522|W|region:US-SC_type:waterbody|display=inline,title
type = reservoir
inflow =
outflow =
catchment =
basin_countries = United States
length =
width =
area = convert|110000|acre|abbr=on|lk=on
depth =
max-depth =
volume =
residence_time =
shore =
elevation =
islands =
cities =

Lake Marion is the largest lake in South Carolina, with a convert|315|mi|km|0|sing=on shoreline and covering nearly convert|110000|acre|km2|-1 of land.

Location

Located in five of South Carolina's counties including: Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg, and Sumter.

Public access is provided through several public boat ramps, Santee State Park, and the Santee National Wildlife Refuge. Interstate 95 crosses this man-made lake near the Town of Santee.

Origin

Lake Marion was created in the early 1940s as part of the Santee Cooper Hydroelectric and Navigation Project. The lake is fed by many tributaries including Wyboo Creek and the Santee River, and also by numerous springs including Eutaw Springs.

The lake is named for the Revolutionary War General Francis Marion, whose home, Pond Bluff, was one of those flooded when the lake was created.

Wildlife

Lake Marion is known for its big fish and abundant wildlife. The state fishing record for Largemouth Bass (16.2 Ibs) is held in this lake. [ [http://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/freshrecs/records.html Freshwater Fish Records for South Carolina ] ] Other fish that abound are Striped bass, Trout, White Perch, White bass, Crappie, Channel catfish, Arkansas Blue Catfish, Shellcrackers,Bream and Chain (Jack). Other wildlife that call Lake Marion home include deer, fox, squirrel, turtle, dove, turkey, alligator and various species of duck, hawk, eagle, egret and osprey.

Conditions vary from shallow swamps and blackwater ponds to vast open water with a multitude of underwater structures. Lake Marion was not completely cleared when it was created, and as a result, there are thousands of stumps, standing dead tree trunks and live cypress trees.

References

ee also

* Lake Moultrie

External links

* [http://santeecooper.com/aboutus/history.html History of Santee Cooper]
* [http://www.dnr.sc.gov/regs/pdf/freshfishing.pdf Freshwater Fishing Regulations]