Lake Wylie is a reservoir, or man-made lake in the U.S. states of both South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of 13400acre (21sq mi) and features 325mi of shore line.HistoryThe man-made lake was first formed when the Catawba Power Company built the Catawba Dam and Power Plant near India Hook, South Carolina in 1904. This dam impounded the Catawba River and created Lake Catawba, which was utilized to create hydro-electric power. In 1905 the Catawba Power Company became part of the Southern Power Company.In 1924 the Southern Power Company raised the level of the dam and built the new Catawba Hydroelectric Station to replace the original. This new facility opened in August 1925, increasing the surface area of Lake Catawba from 668acre to 13400acre. The Southern Power Company was merged with Duke Power Company in 1927.In October 1960 the power station was renamed the Wylie Hydroelectric Station and the lake was renamed Lake Wylie, both in honor of W. Gil Wylie, one of the founders of the original Catawba Power Company that had created the lake and become Duke Power.Other informationLake Wylie's location on both the South Carolina and North Carolina borders makes it a common recreational destination for residents of nearby cities including Charlotte, Fort Mill, and Rock Hill. Duke Power manages six public boat access areas on the lake. There are also two towns that are located on Lake Wylie, including Tega Cay and Lake Wylie
