Francis E Lewis Dam, a Natural and Manmade Wonder

I enjoy nature's beauty and one day I was introduced to Francis E Walter Dam in White Haven, Pennsylvania. Francis E Walter Dam is a 1,800 acre park, and natural and man made parts of the park offer many reasons to have a recreational trip. It remains one of my favorite places to visit.

Francis E Walter Dam was completed in December 1960 by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The dam is named after Francis E Walter, born in Easton Pennsylvania in 1894, who became a democratic representative to the 73^rd Congress until he passed in 1963. The dam is a manmade earth filled embankment with an eighty acre lake reservoir. It was created after the 1955 great flood in the Poconos, intended to manage water flowing into and out of Lehigh River to prevent flooding.

The Francis E Walter Dam park region has many activities to enjoy for both people who love the beauty of the outdoors and their families. Hunting is available in season in marked parts of the park. For non-hunters there are rock climbing, hiking, fishing, and white water rafting activities. A boat launch area is available but there are no boat ramps, and there is a 10hp limit on all boats. In addition there are picnic areas with charcoal barbecues giving you a breathtaking view overlooking the lake reservoir. There are no refuse containers because of wildlife. You must pick up your trash and take it with you, and make sure all fires are put out before leaving your site because of high risk of fires due to wooded areas. Pets are welcomed and porta-potties are available. Even though you may want to, there is no swimming allowed in the lake reservoir.

When you enter Francis E Walter Dam Park via a main road off 940 you'll travel though natural woods with spectacular foliage in the fall. After awhile you'll reach a fork and if you bear to the left you'll take a drive over the top part of the dam with plenty of amazing photo opportunities. The road winds around a manmade boulder perimeter and will take you to a picnic area where you'll find amazing boulder formation walls. If you keep on the main road you'll slowly slope down to the eighty acre lake reservoir. The height of the lake depends on the dam's water release and the amount of rain received. Gates will prevent you from entering if the lake levels high and there are warning signs informing you there may be sudden surges in water dam levels. At low dam lake levels you can drive on a road by the side of the lake reservoir and then drive up a steep incline to the picnic area.

Whether you choose to rock climb, hike, fish, or picnic and indulge in great photographic opportunities, Francis E Walter Dam is a natural and manmade wonder you should see. Francis E Walter Dam is located off 940 in White Haven, PA 18661. The phone number for information is 570-443-9493.

For further information about Francis E Walter Dam click on the website link below.

http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/projects.cfm?Id=E573825

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