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Jordan Lake is a man-made lake in central North Carolina within the New Hope River Valley, lying mainly within northeastern Chatham County. The lake was initially constructed for the purpose of flood control on the Cape Fear River, and serves as a water source for several nearby towns.
Initially known as "New Hope Lake," the project to create Jordan Lake began in 1945, after a hurricane caused massive flooding on the Cape Fear River; the United States Army Corps of Engineers was commissioned to study the region's water needs. The New Hope Lake project was authorized in 1963 for the purposes of "flood control, water supply, water quality, recreation, and fish and wildlife conservation." Construction began in 1967 and the reservoir was finally flooded in 1983. In 1973, the project was renamed to "Jordan Lake" in honor of B. Everett Jordan, former North Carolina Senator.
The Jordan Lake Dam (known also as the B. Everett Jordan Project and the New Hope Dam) is located along the Haw River in the upper Cape Fear River basin, 4 miles (6 km) above the mouth of the Haw River. The dam itself is 1,330 feet (405 m) in length and has a top elevation of 266.5 feet (81 m) above mean sea level.
The lake covers 13,940 acres (56 km²) at its standard water level of 216 feet (66 m) above sea level; the northern end of the lake is one of the largest summertime homes of the bald eagle. The surrounding area is controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and constitutes the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, totalling 46,768 acres (189 km²).
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