This public/private partnership involved:
Catawba County
Catawba Lands Conservancy
Clean Water Management Trust Fund
Duke Energy
Crescent Resources

The North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund awarded a $2.6 million grant to purchase 589 acres from Crescent Resources along Mountain Creek.  The “match” for the grant includes a reduction of the purchase price and a donated conservation easement on an additional 130 acres along Terrapin Creek (valued at $1.6 million).  In total, the 719 acres will protect more than 10 miles of stream and shoreline along critical waterways serving the Charlotte Region. 

Dave Cable, Executive Director of Catawba Lands Conservancy said,
“This project presented a unique opportunity for land protection on a major scale, including water quality protection in one of the most rapidly urbanizing watersheds in the state.  This landmark project increases our total conserved acreage by nearly 10% to 8,214 acres.  The partnership with the community, Duke Energy and Crescent Resources was critical, and we are very grateful for the funding from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund.”  

The 589-acre Mountain Creek tract is one of the largest remaining natural tracts on Lake Norman. Its preservation addresses water quality protection in the Catawba River Basin watershed, which is currently losing 56 acres of land a day to development.  This preserve will serve as a public park with more than 20 miles of hiking trails and educational opportunities for schools, universities, and the public.

Many websites have been created and articles written about this unspecified creature.  However, what could the Lake Norman Monster actually be?  Speculations have been made that it could be a breed of Gar Fish, or an American Freshwater Eel. Others have suggested it could be a snakehead fish, considering they have  been caught on Lake Wylie which is to the south of Lake Norman. 

Lake Norman has also been home to many other aquatic creatures.  In the late 1990’s a species of freshwater jellyfish found in the lake baffled scientists. The species was not known to exist in either Lake Norman or the Catawba River.  Also, in late 2001 a video surfaced showing an alligator sunning itself on Lake Wylie’s shores.  Could it be possible that large jellyfish or even an alligator could be the Lake Norman Monster? Regardless, it has been proven that animals not native to Lake Norman and surrounding areas still manage to survive.

 A photo was recently submitted to LKN Social depicting a large, aquatic creature swimming in the water.  The photo was taken Friday, April 25th 2008 at 12:39pm near marker T4.  Unfortunately the photographer was only able to take one photo of the creature before it disappeared into the deep. 

Our best guess is that this is a Spotted Gar.  Spotted Gars typically grow to a length of 3 feet and weigh around 8 pounds. They prefer clear, quiet, vegetated waters of streams, swamps and lakes.  A large gar will eat a lot of fish, including catfish.  This fish may seem intimidating, but just be grateful it isn’t an Alligator Gar which can grow up to 12 feet long and weigh over 100 pounds!  The largest Alligator Gar ever recorded was caught in 1951 in the Rio Grande weighing 279 pounds.

Could this be the Lake Norman Monster that people tell stories about, or just a rare sighting of a Spotted Gar Fish?  Whichever you choose to believe, it is safe to say that the depths of Lake Norman still offer enough privacy and resources to sustain very large aquatic creatures.

click to enlarge

1) North Harbor Club
(704) 896-5559
http://www.northharborclub.com/
From the road:
North Harbor Club
100-D North Harbor Place
Davidson, NC 28036
From the water:
Located diagnoally across from Marker T5, in the first cove next to Route 77.

2) Vinnie’s Raw Bar
(704) 799-2090
http://www.vinniesrawbar.com
From the road:
643 Williamson Rd
Mooresville, NC 28117
From the water:
Head up (north) Davidson Creek past marker D11.  After going under the bridge, Vinnies will be on your left.

3) Queens Landing
(704) 663-2628
http://www.queenslanding.com/home.html
From the road:
1459 River Highway
Mooresville, NC 28117
From the water:
Head up (north) the main channel past marker 16 and 17.  You will see Queen’s Landing directly in front of you, before going under the 150 bridge.

4) Exit 36 Grill
(704) 799-6210
http://www.exit36lkn.com/
From the road:
167 Pinnacle Lane
Mooresville, NC 28117
From the water:
Head up (north) the main channel past marker 16 and 17.  Cross under the 150 bridge.  You will see the Exit 36 grill to your right.

5) The Landing Restaurant, Bar & Marina
828-478-5944
From the road:
4491 Slanting Bridge Road
Denver, NC 28037
From the water:
Head up (north) the main channel towards Mountain Creek.  Go past market M4 and under Slanting Bridge Rd.  The Landing will be in the first cove to your right.

6) Midtown Sundries
(704) 896-9013
http://www.midtownsundries.com
From the road:
18665 Harborside Dr.
Cornelius, NC 28031
From the water:
Head up (north) Ramsey Creek (in the southern part of the lake) past marker R5 and the Kingspoint Marina.  Midtown Sundries is at the end of the cove.

7) The Rusty Rudder
(704) 892 - 9195
http://www.therustyrudder.net
From the road:
20210 Henderson Rd.
Cornelius, NC 28031
From the water:
Head down Knox Greek (located between marker D6 and the water intake).  The Rusty Rudder is located at the end of the cove next to the Holiday Marina.