Mecklenburg Lakes by etfromnc
The county in which Charlotte and Matthews are located is called Mecklenburg after the home of Queen Charlotte in Germany, for whom our largest city is named. Mecklenburg appears to be landlocked on a map but the county is actually bordered by three beautiful lakes which give you ample access to all sorts of water activities from just enjoying the beauty to waterskiing, boating, fishing, et al. I have even seen a guy trying to surf but obviously he did not have much luck.The most prominent, and newest, is Lake Norman, but Lake Wylie and Mountain Island Lake are equally beautiful in their own special ways. Mountain Island Lake is perhaps the least accessible and thus least crowded. It is also the smallest with a total surface area of almost 2800 acres and 27 miles of shoreline. It was formed in 1924 when our first hydroelectric plant was built and thus is also the oldest of our three lakes. It is a part of the Catawba River watershed system and the primary source of drinking water for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. Water stays in Mountain Island Lake for about 11 days before flowing into Lake Wylie.
