Lake Rabun

Lake Rabun

Location	Rabun County, Georgia
Coordinates	34°45′55″N 083°24′57″W / 34.76528°N 83.41583°W / 34.76528; -83.41583Coordinates: 34°45′55″N 083°24′57″W / 34.76528°N 83.41583°W / 34.76528; -83.41583
Type	reservoir
Basin countries	United States

Surface area	835 acres (3 km²)

Lake Rabun is a twisty 835-acre (3.4 km²) reservoir with 25 miles (40 km) of shoreline located in the Northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Georgia in Rabun County. It is the third lake in a six-lake series that follows the original course of the Tallulah River. The series begins with Lake Burton as the northernmost lake, followed by Lake Seed, Lake Rabun, Lake Tallulah Falls, Lake Tugalo, and Lake Yonah. Lake Rabun was built in a deep valley located along a 10-mile (16 km) section of the Tallulah River.

The lakes are owned and operated by the Georgia Power Company to generate hydroelectric energy for Georgia's largest city, Atlanta. At one time these lakes were the largest producers of electricity in the state of Georgia. Now, they only provide peak power supply.

History

Lake Rabun began filling in May 1915 with the completion of the Mathis Dam to form a reservoir of over ten million gallons covering 834 acres (3.4 km²) with a normal water level of 1,690 feet (515 m) above mean sea level. The property was purchased by the Georgia Railway and Power Company (later renamed Georgia Power Company). The Mathis Dam is an ambursen-type concrete dam with a height of 108 feet (33 m) and a span of 660 feet (201 m). The Terrora Hydroelectric Plant at Mathis Dam has a generation capacity of 16,000 kilowatts. The reservoir elevation is listed as 1,683 feet on topographic maps, but Georgia Power considers the lake full at an elevation of 1,689.6 feet (515.0 m).

4th of July Traditions

Lake Rabun has a rich and unique Fourth of July celebration that is sponsored and coordinated by the Lake Rabun Association (LRA). Each year there is a wooden boat parade that follows the shore lines of the lake. Prizes are given to the most decorated boat and boat house. Another tradition is the Rabun Ramble Road Race, a 5K & 10K, that winds along the shores of the north side of the lake. The race is a marathon qualifier attracting both serious runners and families alike with over 800 participants each year. The race is a fundraiser event providing funds for the Lake Rabun Foundation that gives back to the local community. In the evening a spectacular fireworks display is given directly on the lake. Spectators watch the display from hundreds of boats crowded along the lower basin of the lake.

Fourth of July Wooden Boat Parade

Tour of Homes

Every other year, the LRA conducts a tour of homes which is open to the public. The tour is designed to raise money for local scholarships and other worthy area causes. The LRA sells up to 600 tickets with the tour starting at the historic Hall's Boathouse Marina.

Lake Homes

Due to the large growth of Atlanta in recent years, Lake Rabun has become a second home to some of the most wealthy and politically connected individuals in the state of Georgia. Although Lake Rabun has experienced a huge housing boom due to leased lots by the Georgia Power Company, most home owners are summer weekend residents. Due to the small size of the lake and strong home owners association, and powerful board members, the lake has resisted many attempts to further commercialize and potentially damage its quaint appeal.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lake Rabun.

Significant waterways of Georgia

Larger rivers	Alapaha Alcovy Altamaha Apalachee Aucilla Broad Chattahoochee Chattooga (Coosa River) Chattooga (Tugaloo River) Canoochee Conasauga Coosa Etowah Flint Hiwassee Little (Oconee River) Little (Savannah River) Little (Withlacoochee River) Little Tallapoosa Little Tennessee Nottely Ochlockonee Ocmulgee Oconee Ogeechee River Ohoopee Satilla Savannah South (Ocmulgee River) St. Marys Suwannee Tallapoosa Toccoa Towaliga Withlacoochee Yellow

Lakes	Allatoona Blackshear Burton Carters Chatuge Chehaw George W. Andrews Goat Rock Harding Hartwell Jackson Lanier Nottely Oconee Oliver Rabun Richard B. Russell Seminole Sinclair Strom Thurmond Tugalo Walter F. George West Point

Smaller rivers	Alabaha Alapahoochee Black (Okefenokee Swamp) Cartecay Coleman Coosawattee Dog Ellijay Hudson Jacks Jerico Little (Etowah River) Little Ochlockonee Little Ogeechee (Hancock County) Little Satilla (Satilla River) Mulberry River New (Chattahoochee River) New (Withlacoochee River) Oostanaula Soque South Newport Tallulah Tugaloo Willacoochee

Tidal rivers	Bear Belfast Broro Brunswick Buffalo Bull Chestatee Crescent Crooked Cumberland Darien Duplin Frederica Halfmoon Hampton Herb Laurel View Little Ogechee (Chatham County) Little Satilla (Atlantic Ocean) Mackay Medway Mud North (Darien River) North (St. Marys River) North Newport Odingsell Sapelo Shad Skidaway Sope Tivoli Turtle Vernon Wilmington

Creeks and streams	Alligator (Little Ocmulgee River) Big Satilla Ebenezer Ichawaynochaway Kettle Kinchafoonee Little Satilla Muckalee Noonday Okapilco Peachtree Rocky Comfort Spring (Flint River) Suwannoochee Sweetwater (Chattahoochee River) Tobesofkee Williamson Swamp

Canals	Augusta Canal Brunswick–Altamaha canal Savannah–Ogeechee Canal Suwannee Canal

See also	Intracoastal Waterway Okefenokee Swamp List of Georgia rivers

Lake Rabun's county is very rainy, and is the wettest county in Georgia.

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/26/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.