Coordinates: 35°28′31″N 82°32′15″W / 35.47528°N 82.53750°W / 35.47528; -82.53750

Lake Julian (North Carolina)

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Lake Julian
LocationBuncombe County, North Carolina
TypeReservoir
First flooded1962
Surface area321 acres (130 ha)
Max. depth30 feet (9.1 m)

Lake Julian is a reservoir in Buncombe County, North Carolina,[1] that was formerly used to cool a nearby power plant.

History

It was created by Carolina Power & Light Company in 1962.[2] The lake was originally built by the Carolina Power & Light company as a reservoir of water to cool the nearby Progress Energy Asheville Plant, and a place for the plant to discharge heated water which had been used to cool the plant's turbines.[3]

It was formerly warmed by the energy plant which discharged water used to cool its turbines into the lake, keeping the lake's water temperature an average of 64 degrees fahrenheit,[4] with highs of up to 95 degrees in the summer and lows above 50 in the winter.[5] These unnaturally warm temperatures made the lake a home for non-native species like blue tilapia and armoured catfish. The lake temperature dropped after the plant switched from coal to natural gas in 2020, causing the lake's ecosystem to revert to a more natural population of native fish and a shorter growing season.[2][6]

The lake has a surface area of 321 acres and an average depth of 13 feet, although it reaches a maximum depth of 30 feet.[2] Its waters are stocked with game fish like catfish, crappies, and bream by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Lake Julian". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c BOYLE, JOHN (2023-09-07). "What are the origins, evolution of Lake Julian? Lack of safe crossing on Hendersonville Road at Mills Gap intersection? • Asheville Watchdog". Asheville Watchdog. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  3. ^ Program, National Science Foundation (U S. ) Student-Originated Studies (1971). Student-originated Studies Projects: abstract reports. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 38.
  4. ^ Correspondent, Meg Hale Times-News. "Fishing Lake Julian". Hendersonville Times-News. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  5. ^ Richards, Constance E.; Richards, Kenneth L. (2020-03-13). Insiders' Guide® to North Carolina's Mountains: Including Asheville, Biltmore Estate, Cherokee, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 254. ISBN 978-1-4930-4347-7.
  6. ^ "Lake Julian: South Asheville's new cold water lake". AVLtoday. 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  7. ^ "Lake Julian Park: Picnicking, Canoeing, Family Fun, Boat Rentals, Boat Storage, Walking Trails, Festival of Lights - Buncombe County Recreation Services | Asheville". www.buncombecounty.org. Retrieved 2024-03-11.

35°28′31″N 82°32′15″W / 35.47528°N 82.53750°W / 35.47528; -82.53750

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