Lake Rousseau

Lake Rousseau
View of the lake from the south shore
Lake Rousseau Show map of Florida Lake Rousseau Show map of the United States
Location	Citrus / Levy / Marion counties, Florida, United States
Coordinates	29°01′31″N 82°34′46″W / 29.0253°N 82.5794°W / 29.0253; -82.5794
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Withlacoochee River, Rainbow River
Primary outflows	Withlacoochee River
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	12 mi (19 km)
Max. width	1 mi (1.6 km)
Surface area	c. 3,700 acres (15 km2)
Surface elevation	26 ft (8 m)[1]
Settlements	Dunnellon

Lake Rousseau is a reservoir on the Withlacoochee River in central Florida, on the boundary of Levy County to the north-west, Marion County to the north-east, and Citrus County to the south. It was created in the early 1900s when the river was dammed. Florida Power Corp operated a hydroelectric plant from 1909 to 1965 at the western end of the lake. Power output was approximately 10,000 HP, or 7.45 MW.^[2]

The lake is about 35 miles (56 km) west of Ocala and 10 miles (16 km) east from the Gulf Coast. As well as forming part of the Withlacoochee River, it is also fed by the Rainbow River and Lake Panasoffkee to the east. It is approximately twelve miles long by one mile wide, covering an area of c. 3,700 acres (15 km²).^[3] To the west is part of the uncompleted Cross Florida Barge Canal leading to the Gulf.

The lake forms the centerpiece for the Lake Rousseau State Recreation Area and Campground.

• Lake Rousseau website
• Lake Rousseau RV & Fishing Resort
• Golaszewski, Thomas. "Early Morning at Lake Rousseau Florida". YouTube. Retrieved 12 April 2016.^{[dead link‍]}