When was falls lake created

View Edit. Namesake The name of Falls Lake comes from a once whitewater portion of the Neuse River , a series of rapids located upstream of where Raleigh's Falls of Neuse Road crosses the river. History Recreation Adjacent to the lake is the Falls Lake Recreation Area , a 5, acre state park located along NC 50 north of Raleigh and provides amenities such as camping, fishing, swimming, and hiking.

Add tags. Map tiles via MapBox. Lick Creek. Little Creek. Little Lick Creek Watershed. Little Lick Creek Watershed Plan. Little River. New Hope Creek. Northeast Creek. Panther Creek. Stirrup Iron Creek. Third Fork Creek. City Jobs. Arrow Left Arrow Right. Blue Jay Point County Park : A Wake County Park on a peninsula jutting out into the lake with hiking, picnicking, environmental education and ziplining. The preserve protects a unique bend in the Eno River upstream of where it feeds into Falls Lake and supports rare plant communities.

Eastern redbud Cercis canadensis grows near the dam. These small trees have beautiful purple flowers that bloom in late March to early April. The lake is surrounded by 25, acres of protected land and is a water supply for Raleigh and surrounding communities.

Although the primary use of the lake is for flood control and as a reservoir, there are numerous recreational opportunities, including fishing, boating, hiking, and camping on the lake and surrounding land. Construction of the lake was decades in the making - the state of North Carolina first requested a study of a potential reservoir in the s.

In , the Army Corps of Engineers recommended construction of the lake to Congress and it was authorized with the Flood Control Act of Throughout the s and 70s, land was purchased, roads were raised or dead-ended, and land was cleared. Construction of the dam began in and was completed on February 26, The lake reached is normal level for the first time on December 7, Recreation areas were built throughout the s and 90s and are still continuing today.

Although the Army Corps of Engineers owns the land surrounding the lake, most is leased to state or local agencies and the corps manages the dam and area around it. Map: The map below shows the trails surrounding the dam.