Information about Lake Gaston

Lake Gaston Area:  Lake Gaston is a not a city or township, but rather a very large "community" of the privately owned property surrounding it.  Because of the recreational and relaxed pace of our community, our population of residents on the Lake is drawn primarily from a very large and diverse mix of vacation homeowners and retirees.  Approximately half are full time residents.

There are no public/state parks on Lake Gaston, but each of the five surrounding counties provide boating access to the public, and many fishing tournaments are held throughout the year.

Location:  The main body of Lake Gaston is located on the border of Virginia and North Carolina, between I-85 on the west and I-95 on the east.  This location also places Lake Gaston on the border of the coastal and piedmont regions of the states.  For more detailed information, please click on the Geography link, or Home link for maps.

Because of its size, locations around the lake are often referred to as being in one of the four quadrants (NW, SW, NE, SE) using the Eaton Ferry Main Lake Bridge as the most central dividing line and providing access to and from the north and south shores.
 

The Lake:  The impoundment of Lake Gaston in 1963 was created for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation, and it is owned by Dominion Resources. Lake Gaston has more than 20,000 surface acres, is 34 miles long and 1.3 miles across at its widest point.  Its average water depth is 40 feet. 

As one of many lakes along the Roanoke River Basin, water feeds into Lake Gaston from the Kerr Lake Dam upstream and flows over the Gaston Dam into the Roanoke Rapids Lake downstream.  Under normal conditions the maximum water elevations are 200 feet above mean sea level on Gaston, and 132 feet in the Roanoke Rapids lake.  A real plus for Lake Gaston is its relatively constant water level, which generally fluctuates only one-half a foot higher or lower than its average 199.5 feet above mean sea level.

Like all bodies of water its size, Dominion operates the lake within the regulations and license of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the U.S. Corps of Engineers.  It is monitored by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Wildlife Commissions of both North Carolina and Virginia. 

Boating:  The “main” body of the lake runs east/west and is approx 35 miles long between the dams.  The main bridge crossing over the main lake (Eaton Ferry Bridge) is centrally located and elevated to allow boats to go under. The lake also includes 20 “Creeks” that run north or south off the main body.  All have access to the main body, and some require boating under a bridge.  The bridge "culverts" allow passage for most boats, but a couple of them require lowering the bimini tops.  The pontoon boat is a favorite and seen just as often as water skiing boats… sailboats enjoy tacking across the main body, and of course, the lake is spotted with fishing boats even on the coldest of days!

Many people prefer living, boating, or swimming in the coves/creeks on Lake Gaston (large lakes themselves) because they tend to be quieter and there is less wind, surf and boating activity.  Property that is not located on the “main” lake is considered to be on a “cove.”

Fishing:  With the right protection, even fishing in the winter is fun.  Among others, you will find stripers and largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, walleye, white perch, and catfish. 

Temperatures:  Our moderate, four-season climate has average winter temperatures of 42.4°F and summer temps of 76.5°F.  Our typically light snow falls in the winter remain for a couple of days, and roads are promptly cleared.

Topography:  Lake Gaston is surrounded by hilly and flat terrain.  While some areas of the lake tend to be more elevated, there is no major difference between land values or topography between the 2 states.