Gibson Lake is the cooling pond for Duke Energy Indiana's Gibson Generating Station. Measuring at around , it is the largest lake in Indiana built completely above ground, its shores consisting of rock levees on all but two of the lake's six sides both of which were also built up to build the power plant. Opened to fishing in 1978, Gibson Lake had been a prime source of bass and several types of catfish, bluegill, and carp. The lake was closed to fishing in 2007, due to elevated levels of selenium found in the water of the lake.Gibson Lake Will Not Reopen for Fishing April 1 – Duke Energy The only entrance to Gibson Lake was the lake's boat ramp, located due southeast of the plant on Gibson County Road 975 South. Like the lake itself, the ramp has been closed since 2007.
Gibson Lake, due to it never getting colder than , caused by the hot outflows from the plant's condensers, is known to produce a little dusting of snow every now and then.
Wildlife The Gibson Lake and the rest of the Gibson Generating Station complex is home to several species of birds. They include:
Red-throated loon Pacific loon Eared grebe Red-necked grebe Western grebe American white pelican Brown pelican Plegadis ibis Snowy egret Ross's goose Wood stork White-faced ibis Glossy ibis Black-bellied whistling duck White-winged scoter Surf scoter Long-tailed duck Golden eagle Peregrine falcon Wild turkey King rail Piping plover Least tern Green heron Canada goose Cackling goose
American avocet Black-necked stilt Whimbrel Marbled godwit Hudsonian godwit Purple sandpiper Red knot Red phalarope Laughing gull Little gull Sabine's gull Glaucous gull Iceland gull Thayer's gull Lesser black-backed gull Pomarine jaeger Parasitic jaeger Swainson's hawk Gyrfalcon Snowy owl Le Conte's sparrow Henslow's sparrow Great blue heron Whooping crane White-fronted goose Mallard duck Snow goose Blue and green-winged teal
Many of these birds use the area as a stop-over on their respective destinations. Wildlife and bird watchers will notice that Google Earth and Garmin GPS maps refer to the lake's location as Broad Pond. The ancient Broad Pond-Cane Ridge-Wabash River oxbow was once considered for a National Wildlife Refuge.
Specialty species Least terns - breed at Gibson Lake and Cane Ridge least tern habitat and may be seen anytime between mid-May and late August or early September. Bald eagles - are common during the winter and are usually encountered on a drive around the levee. They nest in the area next to the Wabash River.
Temperature The lake temperature very rarely falls below at its coldest point, due mainly to the plant's condenser discharges. This often results in lake-effect snow or heavy frost falling in nearby areas.
Outflow (West) Side + Annual Temperature Range Season Min MaxWinter Summer
Inflow (East) Side + Annual Temperature Range Season Min MaxWinter Summer
The two sides are separated by a splitter dike that juts approximately 500 yards into the lake from the main plant that forces the water to remain in the lake for around 1–2 weeks.
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