Lake Gaston Information
Lake Gaston has 350 miles of shoreline touching five
counties in the two states of North Carolina
and Virginia.
The main body of the lake is approximately 1.3 miles across at its widest point
and approximately 35 miles long, with an approximate average depth of 40 feet. Lake Gaston
has more than 20,000 surface acres that include the "main" lake (runs
west to east) and its 20 "creeks that run north & south off the main
lake. These creeks (or coves), which are all quite large, feed directly into
the main body and are directly accessible by boat. Some require boating under a
bridge to get to/from the main body, and the bridge culverts accommodate most
boats (ski, pontoon, fishing). A few require lowering
the pontoon's bimini top.
Locations around the lake are often
referred to as being in a particular Quadrant (NW, SW, NE, SE).
The Eaton Ferry Bridge
(over a mile long) is centrally located on the main lake, and it runs
north/south over the main lake about mid way. Interstate 85 also runs
north/south over the main lake, but at the far west end. That end of the lake
tends to be shallower overall, and is well suited for the fishermen, nature
lover and those who like a quieter environment.
From the centrally located Eaton Ferry
Bridge, it will take
approximately 30 minutes to reach I-85 or I-95 by car at any of the four quads.
Located on the VA/NC border between I-85 on the West, and I-95 on the East, Lake Gaston
is approximately 1.5 hours south of Richmond, VA and north of Raleigh,
NC.
Lake Gaston Area:
Lake Gaston is a not a city or township, but
rather a very large "community" of the privately owned property
surrounding it. Because of the recreational and relaxed pace of our community,
our population of residents on the Lake is
drawn primarily from a very large and diverse mix of vacation homeowners and
retirees. Approximately half are full time residents. There are no public/state
parks on Lake Gaston, but each of the five surrounding
counties provide boating access to the public, and many fishing tournaments are
held throughout the year.
Location:
The main body of Lake Gaston is located on the border of Virginia
and North Carolina,
between I-85 on the west and I-95 on the east. This location also places Lake Gaston
on the border of the coastal and piedmont regions of the states.
Because of its size, locations around the lake are often referred to as
being in one of the four quadrants (NW, SW, NE, SE) using the Eaton Ferry Main
Lake Bridge as the most central dividing line and providing access to and from
the north and south shores.
The Lake:
The impoundment of Lake
Gaston in 1963 was
created for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation, and it is owned by
Dominion Resources. Lake
Gaston has more than
20,000 surface acres, is 34 miles long and 1.3 miles across at its widest
point. Its 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. A real plus for Lake Gaston
is its relatively constant water level, which generally fluctuates
only one-half a foot higher or lower than its average 199.5 feet above mean sea
level.
Like all bodies of water its size, 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” body of the lake runs east/west and is approx 35 miles long
between the dams. The main bridge crossing over the main lake (Eaton Ferry
Bridge) is centrally
located and elevated to allow boats to go under. 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, but a couple of them require lowering the bimini tops. The pontoon boat is a favorite and seen just
as often as water skiing boats… sailboats enjoy tacking across the main body,
and of course, the lake is spotted with fishing boats even on the coldest of
days!
Many people prefer living, boating, or swimming in the coves/creeks on Lake Gaston
(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.”
Closest
Public Boat Ramps are located in:
Warren County, North Carolina
Big Stonehouse Creek at Salmon’s Landing
SR 903, 3.5 miles
north of Littleton, NC
-Or-
Brunswick County, Virginia
Pea Hill
Landing, at Pea Hill Creek
SR 705. Off of SR
26, two miles east of Gasburg, VA
Fishing:
With the right protection, even fishing in the winter is fun. Among
others, you will find stripers and largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie,
walleye, white perch, and catfish.
Temperatures:
Our moderate, four-season climate has average winter temperatures of
42.4°F and summer temps of 76.5°F. Our typically light snow falls in the winter
remain for a couple of days, and roads are promptly cleared.