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Location
Located in the central region of Georgia, on the Oconee River, Lake
Sinclair stretches through the counties of Baldwin, Hancock, and
Putnam, Lake Sinclair was created in 1953. With approximately 417
miles (671 km) of scenic shoreline, winding coves and inlets as well
as several vast stretches of open water, Lake Sinclair has plenty to
offer for your recreation and boating pleasure. The lake is made up
of a 15,330-acre (62 kmē) area of water and provides both
electricity and recreation. Milledgeville, Georgia, is the largest
city on Lake Sinclair.
Lake Sinclair is largely used by lake residents and people who live
and house their boats, watercraft and RVs on the lake - thus access
is as easy as lowering their watercraft into the water. For day or
weekend visitors, Georgia Power provides two public boat ramps for
public access to water recreation. There are also marinas and boat
storage areas located on the lake. There are other areas of access
to the lake including Oconee Springs Park and several "secret"
public access areas. Lake Sinclair is the site of several fishing
tournaments - both local and national - and attracts fisherpersons
of various skill levels and interest. Visitors find fall and winter
fishing at Lake Sinclair a special treat due to the mild climate and
activity. There is also a popular fishing area below the dam near
Milledgeville. Several recreation areas, such as Oconee Springs Park
and Rocky Creek Park, provide day-use facilities that include picnic
tables, grills, boat ramp and a small beach. There is camping and
even cabin rentals provided at Oconee Springs Park, but not Rocky
Creek Park.
Lake Sinclair was created in 1953 when the waters of the Oconee
river were dammed to create a 45,000 kilowatt[citation needed]
hydroelectric generating station. Development of this lake as a
recreational area began through a planned cooperative program.
Participants included the Oconee Area Planning and Development
Commission, the U.S. Forest Service, The Georgia Game and Fish
Commission, Georgia Power Company and several independent businesses
Lake Sinclair is fed by several creeks and rivers, including Beaver
Dam, Crooked, Rooty, Sandy Run, Shoulder Bone, Potato, Island,
Rocky, Nancy Branch, Reedy Branch, and Little River. The lake covers
over 15,000 acres (61 kmē) and has more than 400 miles (600 km) of
shoreline with a maximum depth of 90 feet.
In 1979 Lake Oconee was created with the completion of Wallace Dam,
which is a "pump back" reservoir for Lake Sinclair. What this means
is that the water is pumped from Lake Sinclair into Lake Oconee,
it's dam-sharing lake. It is then released through Wallace Dam back
into Lake Sinclair - thus generating electricity. It's quite
fascinating to newcomers and you can tell which stage of the
operation the process is in by watching the current on Lake
Sinclair. Either stop your watercraft and watch the shoreline, or if
you are on shore, fix your eye on a watercraft or object in the
lake. It will move in either direction depending on the stage of
pumping/dam operation. The net effect of the power generation
process is an approximate 2 ft drop or rise in Lake Sinclair's water
level. This drop or rise is minimal and only affects boaters located
in very shallow water. Lake Sinclair offers year-round, consistent
water levels.
The Sinclair dam is approximately 105 feet high and 3,000 feet long |