Lewis Smith Lake, or Smith Lake, is a man-made lake located 20 miles northwest of Birmingham, Alabama. It was created by the construction of a 300-foot dam by the Alabama Power Company upon the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River. The lake has more than 500 miles of shoreline surrounding a water surface covering 21,200 acres, making it one of Alabama's largest lakes. The lake lies adjacent to the Bankhead National Forest, home of the Alabama's largest tree. Smith Lake also features many yearly events such as the Smith Lake Park Independence Day Festival and National Fishing and Boating Week.
Lake Guntersville is Alabama's largest lake with 962 miles of shoreline and 67,900 acres of area. This 75-mile-long man-made lake is the result of two dams along the Tennessee River: Nickajack Dam and Guntersville Dam. The lake can be found between Guntersville and Bridgeport in northern Alabama. Lake Guntersville is known for its eagle watching, fishing, boating and hunting.
Known for its fishing and angling, Wilson Lake is an 18-mile-long man-made lake along the Tennessee River by the addition of the Wilson Dam. The dam separates this lake from Pickwick Lake upstream. Wilson Lake covers 15,930 acres within a 150-mile shoreline. Located between Florence and Decatur in northern Alabama, the lake features many tourist attractions such as the annual W.C. Hardy Music Festival, Joe Wheeler State Park, the Shoals Spirit of Freedom Celebration and the nearby Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Lake Martin is the result of the Martin Dam on the Tallapoosa River and generates hydroelectric power for Alabama Power. This large lake located northeast of Montgomery was at one point the largest man-made lake in the world, with 700 miles of shoreline and 39,180 acres of water surface. Lake Martin is known for its crystal clear water with some parts that allow clarity down to 15-feet from the surface. Due to its close proximity to Montgomery, the lake is home to many luxury neighborhoods. Much of the shoreline is commanded by these private homes, however, there are a few parks that provide public access, such as Wind Creek State Park and Smith Landing.
West Point Dam, built in 1962 on the Chattahoochee River as a means to control flooding in the area, produced West Point Lake. This lake covers 25,864 acres with a 525-mile shoreline. West Point Lake is located astride the Alabama-Georgia state line in a very rural part of both states east of LaFayette, Alabama. The lake is known for its fishing within quiet and deeply forested surroundings. The Alabama side of the lake is accessible mostly through Burnt Village Park.
