Lake Waccamaw is a freshwater drainage lake located in Columbus County, North Carolina. It is the largest of the natural Carolina Bay lakes, with a surface area of 36 km2. Lake Waccamaw is fed by four creeks: First, Second, Third, and Big creeks. The outlet forms the Waccamaw River, which empties into the Atlantic ocean via the Winyah Bay at Georgetown, South Carolina. The lake and its respective river are named after the local Waccamaw-Siouan tribe, who are long inhabitants of the region. Lake Waccamaw is 15,000 - 32,000 years old, but already contains several endemic species including various fish, mussels, and snails. The lake is a popular recreational destination among residents and tourists, becoming a state park in 1976.
Geography Lake Waccamaw has a broad, flat bottom of gyttja (mud) and peat, that follow a burial rate of ~0.075 mm/year. It is encircled by sandy shallows and submerged sandy terraces that extend up to offshore. The lake is oval in shape, measuring roughly by , covering surface area with an average depth of , max depth of 10.8 feet (3.3 m), and a shoreline of about . The lake is fed mainly by Big Creek and the surrounding swamp lands. The organic matter from the decaying vegetation makes the swamps' water tea-colored. Unlike most of the other Carolina Bay lakes, Lake Waccamaw gets the majority of its water from the surrounding swamp, instead of direct rain water. The lake is contains limestone outcrops in the basin, which contributes to its clear water, neutral pH ranging from 6.8 to 7.5, and high alkalinity. This makes the lake ideal for a wide range of aquatic life. Lake Waccamaw has several feeders, called First Little, Second Little and Third Little Creeks and then Big Creek as well as water from the Friar swamp. The lake receives a steady inflow of 2.6 m3/s on average, and drains through the Waccamaw river at the same rate.
Geology Lake Waccamaw is one of the larger Carolina Bays. Recent work by the U.S. Geological Survey has interpreted the Carolina Bays formed several thousands of years ago when the climate was colder, drier, and windier.Swezey, C.S. (2020) "Quaternary eolian dunes and sand sheets in inland locations of the Atlantic Coastal Plain Province", in Inland Dunes of North America (N. Lancaster and P. Hesp, eds.), Springer Publishing, Switzerland, pp. 11-63. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-40498-7_2 ISBN 978-3-030-40498-7 Thermokarst lakes develop by thawing of frozen ground (permafrost) and by subsequent modification by wind and water. Thus, this interpretation suggests that permafrost once extended as far south as the Carolina Bays during the last ice age and (or) previous ice ages.
The lake has been estimated to be between 15,000 and 30,000 years old. It is underlain by strata containing fossils of various ages, including the lower Pliocene Goose Creek Limestone and the lower Pleistocene Waccamaw Formation. In 2008, a whale fossil was found in the lake. Scientists have removed the bones of a whale that they say may date back 1 - 3 million years. The skull of the whale has been restored and is currently on display at Lake Waccamaw State Park through longstanding loan from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.
Ecology Lake Waccamaw is a diverse ecosystem, containing over 50 unique species. Several endemic species are found only in or around the lake, including the Waccamaw darter, silverside and killifish, snails including the Waccamaw amnicola and siltsnail, as well as various mussels. The general structure of these species suggest lacustrine adaptation from their closest riverine relatives. Noticeable changes include more vertebrae, as well as elongated body shapes when compared to riverine counterparts. Genetic analysis shows that the mussel species reported as endemic are not distinct from populations outside the lake, but many of the freshwater mollusks and fish found in the lake are imperiled, especially with declining water quality. Fifteen species of mussels and clams are reported from the lake. Alligators are also found at Lake Waccamaw.
+ Fish Species in Lake WaccamawSpeciesFamilyHabitatTrophic levelStatus Acantharchus pomotis Centrarchidae demersal 3.0 native Ameiurus catus Ictaluridae demersal 3.8 native Ameiurus natalis Ictaluridae demersal 3.3 native Ameiurus platycephalus Ictaluridae demersal 3.4 native Amia calva Amiidae demersal 3.8 native Anguilla rostrata Anguillidae demersal 3.7 native Aphredoderus sayanus Aphredoderidae demersal 3.4 native Centrarchus macropterus Centrarchidae demersal 3.7 native Cyprinus carpio carpio Cyprinidae benthopelagic 3.0 native Dorosoma cepedianum Clupeidae pelagic 2.0 native Elassoma zonatum Elassomatidae demersal 3.0 native Enneacanthus gloriosus Centrarchidae demersal 3.0 native Enneacanthus obesus Centrarchidae demersal 3.0 native Erimyzon oblongus Catostomidae demersal 2.8 native Erimyzon sucetta Catostomidae demersal 2.8 native Esox americanus americanus Esocidae demersal 3.4 native Esox niger Esocidae demersal 4.0 native Etheostoma fusiforme Percidae benthopelagic 3.2 native Etheostoma perlongum Percidae benthopelagic 3.4 endemic Fundulus waccamensis Fundulidae benthopelagic 3.0 endemic Gambusia affinis Poeciliidae benthopelagic 3.2 native Lepisosteus osseus Lepisosteidae demersal 4.2 native Lepomis auritus Centrarchidae demersal 3.1 native Lepomis gibbosus Centrarchidae benthopelagic 3.1 native Lepomis gulosus Centrarchidae demersal 3.7 native Lepomis macrochirus Centrarchidae benthopelagic 3.3 native Lepomis punctatus Centrarchidae demersal 3.0 native Menidia extensa Atherinidae pelagic 3.2 endemic Micropterus salmoides Centrarchidae benthopelagic 3.8 native Morone americana Moronidae demersal 3.0 native Notemigonus crysoleucas Cyprinidae demersal 3.0 native Notropis chalybaeus Cyprinidae benthopelagic 3.0 native Notropis petersoni Cyprinidae benthopelagic 3.0 native Noturus gyrinus Ictaluridae demersal 3.2 native Perca flavescens Percidae benthopelagic 3.7 native Pomoxis nigromaculatus Centrarchidae benthopelagic 4.2 native Umbra pygmaea Umbridae demersal 3.6 native
The lack of rain in the eastern portion of North Carolina during 2007 affected the water level in Lake Waccamaw. Water levels dropped greater than below normal as of late 2007. The record low is recorded in 1993. The record high was above normal in 1999. In 2008, some additional rain and swamp drainage had increased the water levels.
In October 2012 there was a hydrilla outbreak. Efforts to free the lake of the invasive weed were estimated to take between 5 and 7 years.
The lake was established as a North Carolina State Lake in 1929, and it is managed by the adjacent Lake Waccamaw State Park.
A dam at the outlet, built in 1926, regulates lake levels. References
External links
Lake Waccamaw informational website Photos Of Lake Waccamaw Columbus County Information Official Lake Photo Site