Curves and Coves
Just north of Columbia, Lake Wateree stretches 21 miles between Great Falls and Camden. One of the oldest man-made lakes in South Carolina, Wateree Reservoir’s 14,000 acres is divided into three counties: Kershaw, Fairfield, and Lancaster. The 181 miles of shoreline rest on the Wateree River, and opportunity flows down like water.
Essentials
Lake Wateree covers quite the expanse, and the distance to essentials is relative. The nearest health center is 22.5 miles away at KershawHealth, but medical services are available in Springdale and Camden. For flights national and international, Columbia Metropolitan Airport is 65 miles away. For grocery needs, a Walmart Supercenter is a short drive away in nearby Camden, and Colonel Creek Market is on the southern shore of the lake.
100 Years in the Making
Lake Katherine recently celebrated its centennial in 2019. In the early 1900s, the space where the lake now rests represented an opportunity to generate hydroelectric power for the greater area, and many of the lakes in the region have a similar story. But before the lake and European colonization, the now-extinct Wateree Native American tribe occupied the area, and their descendants merged with the Catawba people — the 75-mile-long river bears the tribe’s name.
Today, the region boasts the Shaw Air Force Base, Lake Wateree State Park, and a bird refuge. In Lancaster County, six miles of the massive lake serve for wildlife management and water quality preservation. However, while it may seem like part of the lake has been lost, the location remains a natural escape for residents looking to hunt, hike, fish, and bird-watch.
The wildlife on Lake Wateree makes it shine, but the long list of recreational opportunities is what puts it on the map. Scattered across the lake are three golf clubs, four campgrounds, three marinas, and nine boat ramps — all certain to make a day at the lake worthwhile. If these amenities do not fit your fancy, residents and visitors enjoy land and sea adventures like geocaching, boating, skiing, tubing, and biking.
Perfect for the outdoorsman, Lake Wateree’s area features a plethora of species, whether you’re on the boat or the shore. Anglers may reel in largemouth bass, striped bass, white bass, white perch, crappie, channel catfish, blue catfish, sunfish, and bream, but watch out for ducks and turtles when tossing a line. Additionally, woodland critters like deer, foxes, turkeys, and squirrels roam the forests. Furthermore, from birds of prey to grazers, glancing at the sky may reveal doves, hawks, eagles, egrets, herons, and osprey.
By the Water
A lakefront home at Lake Wateree promises a countryside escape, but the calm waters entice its visitors to stay.