Once upon, there was a quiet mountain lake with beautiful deep-water coves, natural wooded shorelines, happy boaters, avid fishermen, record-setting game fish and a power dam.
By Fred Tscheulin

     That lake is Leesville Lake…and the time is now!
     Leesville Lake is a meandering, 17-mile river-style lake located northeast of the Smith Mountain Dam and formed by the Leesville Dam. It runs along the Route 29 corridor east of Altavista and upstream from Leesville at the mouth of Goose Creek. It is part of the Smith Mountain hydro-electric pump storage project on the Roanoke River built by AEP in the early 1960s.
     Water passes through the Smith Mountain Dam’s generators into Leesville Lake during periods of peak demand. Then the generators become motors using excess power in the AEP system to return the water into Smith Mountain Lake during periods of low demand. This “pump-back” process accounts for fluctuations in the lake level that can be 600- 613 feet above sea level, according to the Leesville Lake Association.
     A chart provided by Roger Beeman of Beeman & McKernan, tracking fluctuation from April 19, 2004 through May 19, 2004 on an every-other-day basis, showed most fluctuations during that period were in a range of 3-4 feet. The consequence of this system is the need for floating versus fixed docks. 
     Leesville Lake has approximately 100 miles of shoreline beautifully situated in the mountains. At present, about 150 families are living on the lake. There are 18 subdivisions or property owner associations surrounding the lake, numerous boat launching sites and the marina located at Heron Point offers a launching dock, guest slips, a grill and swimming pool.
     Three lake subdivisions that are currently being developed are Heron Point and Sunset Bay in Pittsylvania County, and Runaway Bay in Campbell County. Leesville Lake also borders on Bedford County.
     The Association of Lake Area Communities (ALAC) provides a forum and voice for all member communities surrounding the lake. They have developed an information sharing and communications system to share ideas and seek input or assistance on problems of mutual interest. The Leesville Lake Association, for example, organized and conducted its initial annual Lake Cleanup Day on Sept. 25.
     According to Roger Beeman, “Life at Leesville is very much like Smith Mountain Lake 20-30 years ago, only on a smaller scale.”
     His business partner, Eldon McKernan, feels Leesville Lake appeals to the “back-to-nature types who can put on their vision goggles and look into the future. It has strong appeal to individuals and families looking for a quiet family lake, especially those who enjoy good fishing and the beauty of a private, wooded mountain lake environment. It’s a perfect get-a-way location, but within easy reach of shopping and community services. A drive to Altavista is approximately 11 miles and Lynchburg another 26 miles.”
     No visit to Leesville Lake would be complete without a nostalgic trip to the Carter Store located on Rt. 43 in Leesville, just six miles from Altavista. The store is owned and operated by Calvin Carter. It was purchased in 1885 by his great-grandfather and has been in the family for three generations.
    Over the years, the store has adapted to the many changes of time and technology, but it has managed to retain the charm of a full-service country store – from penny candy and a homemade ham and cheese sandwich to nails by the pound. In winter the store is heated by a wood-burning stove surrounded by antiques, farm tools, postcards, artwork, family photographs and packaged products of the days gone by, including the famous Prince Albert in a can.
     You will find the owner a most knowledgeable and engaging fellow with a good sense of humor and country know-how. Along with being the owner/operator of the store, he is the Campbell County Supervisor for the Altavista District, a position he has held for 38 years.
     The Carter Store is also home to the state-record striped bass, which was caught in Leesville Lake on March 16, 2000 by Calvin’s friend James B. Davis. This trophy measures 46-3/4 inches and 53 pounds, .45 ounces and is mounted and proudly displayed at the store. There are also photographs and the “killer” lure (crank bait) that attracted this beauty. By the way, if you get hooked on going for a new record, the store also sells bait and tackle.
     So, if you’re looking for a quiet mountain lake with great fishing and beautiful views, grab your Virginia road map, put on your “vision goggles” and take a trip to Leesville Lake.  You can get additional information at www.leesvillelake.org or from Beeman & McKernan at 800-476-2992.

Stats At A Glance

Leesville Reservoir
Length: 17 miles
Shoreline: 100 miles
Water storage: 94,960 acre feet
Normal operating level:
613 feet above sea level

Leesville Dam
Length: 980 feet
Height: 90 feet
Thickness at base: 70 feet
Type: Concrete gravity

Leesville Powerhouse
Number of generating units: 2
Capacity: 20 megawatts each