Sutton Lake covers 1440 acres. It is a
beautiful
lake, winding 14 miles along the Elk
River, with
many coves along its 40 miles of shoreline. The lake
is 125 feet deep at the dam. Sutton Dam is located
just above the Town of Sutton, 101 miles above the
mouth of the Elk River in Charleston.
It is a concrete-gravity structure 210 feet high,
1,178 feet long, and 195 feet wide at the base. It
controls a 537 square mile drainage area, including
the upper Elk
River, and the Holly River. Sutton Dam
was built primarily for flood control on the Elk,
Kanawha and Ohio Rivers. During periods of flooding,
water is stored behind the dam, frequently reducing
the severity of flooding below the dam.
It was completed in 1961 at a cost of $35
million. In 26 years, it has reduced flood damages
by more than $258 million dollars. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers operates and maintains the dam
Picnic sites are available in all recreation
areas. There are five picnic shelters in the Day Use
Areas at Sutton Lake. Two shelters are located in
the Tailwaters Day Use Area and the Bee Run Day Use
Area, and one is located at the South Abutment Day
Use Area. Shelters may be reserved in advance for a
small fee.
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers