A lake is simply a body of water that is inland from an ocean. There are all shapes and sizes of lakes, and they’re usually fed by a river. Some lakes are man made, and some are naturally formed. Natural lakes are often found in mountainous regions where land elevations vary. This creates basins where water gathers along its normal drainage route.
Many of the larger lakes are created when a dam is built on a large river causing the water to form a large pool or water basin, and gradually drain out through the dam. The control of that water flow is maintained for several purposes: community water supplies, producing power, irrigation and recreational purposes. Maintenance and control is usually handled by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. They maintain many of the lakes and bodies of water in the United States.
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