Clinton Lake, reservoir near Clinton, Illinois, USA
Clinton Lake is a large reservoir in DeWitt County, Illinois, covering about 4900 acres and opened to visitors in 1978. The lake has a main section for motorboats, an upper no-wake zone for quieter activities, six boat ramps, and a sandy beach roughly 300 meters long with a marked swimming area.
Clinton Lake was built in the 1970s to cool a nearby nuclear power station and serves as its cooling basin. It opened to the public in 1978 and has since become a popular recreation and fishing destination in central Illinois.
The lake is accessible via marked local roads, with Illinois Route 10 and DeWitt County Highway 14 leading to facilities on the south side. All boat ramps have wheelchair-accessible docks, and numerous campsites with showers are available throughout the recreation area for overnight stays.
Sailing is a notable activity thanks to the Clinton Lake Sailing Association, which offers lessons and spring regattas with six-lane race courses. The University of Illinois also operates a rowing center at the northeastern end, hosting competitive rowing events during the season.
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