Summersville Lake is a reservoir located in West Virginia near Summersville, formed as a result of building a rock-fill Summersville Dam completed in 1968 on the Gauley River. With 2,700 acres of water, it is the largest lake in West Virginia.
It has more than 60 miles of shoreline at the summer water level and maximum depth of 327 feet. The lake was constructed to control flooding and for hydroelectric power generation.
It also serves as a recreation area for fishing, boating, rock climbing, snorkeling and scuba diving. There is a small boat intentionally sunk in the lake to give divers opportunity for wreck diving.