Sutton Lake, WV

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 and project recreation facilities. For more information about Braxton County and area attractions, visit the Braxton County Visitor and Convention Bureau’s web site at www.braxtonwv.org.Seasonality: February through November