Lewis Smith Lake
Latitude: 33°57'N
Longitude: 87°05'W
One of the largest earth and rock -filled dams in the Eastern United States, the Lewis Smith Dam was constructed at the Sipsey Fork tributary. It was named in honor of Lewis Martin Smith, who was president of Alabama Power from 1952 to 1957. Construction on the Lewis Smith Dam started in November 1957 and was completed in 1961. Smith Dam was the first of three Alabama Power Company projects on the Black Warrior River. The construction of the Dam created more than 500 miles of shoreline which are fed by the Sipsey River, Rock Creek, and Ryan Creek.
Smith Lake sits on the border of Cullman, Winston, and Walker Counties in North Central Alabama, on the Sipsey River Fork, 34 miles northwest of Birmingham. The sprawling lake reservoir extends into the William B. Bankhead National Forest and three national forest recreation areas, Corinth, Clear Creek, and Houston are located on the lake. Smith Lake consists of over 21,000 acres of lake but is among the deepest and therefore may hold more water than any other Alabama Lake. Smith Lake is a clear, deep lake with dozens of streams, and sloughs surrounded by steep bluffs. This lake was formed by the Lewis Smith Dam (265 ft/81 m high), and was completed by the Alabama Power Company for the production of hydroelectric power and flood control.
There are many beautiful homes, parks, and developments along the shores of Smith Lake and the lake provides a major recreation area.