Poplar Tree Lake
| Poplar Tree Lake | |
|---|---|
| Location | Millington, Tennessee |
| Type | man-made |
| Part of | Meeman Shelby State Forest Park |
| Primary inflows | Loosahatchie River |
| Built | 1937 |
| First flooded | 1937 |
| Surface area | ~0.52 square kilometer |
| Max. depth | ~40 feet |
Poplar Tree Lake is a man-made, 125-acre lake located within Meeman-Shelby State Forest in Shelby County, Tennessee,[1] roughly 12 miles north of Memphis, Tennessee.[2]
Background
Before the 1930s, the area that would become Poplar Tree Lake was a sprawling bottomland of hardwood forests along the Loosahathchie River.[3] The region had swampy soils and abundant poplar trees and cottonwood groves. It had remained largely undeveloped and was prone to flash floods. In the early 20th century, conservationist Edward J. Meeman and State forester James. O. Hazard identified the land as an ideal area for reclamation.[4] Prior to development of the lake, the area had no built infrastructure beyond minor trails used for hunting and logging.[5]
Construction of the lake began in the mid-1930s as part of the New Deal. between 1935 and 1937, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built an earthen damn along the former creek to accompany the previously built reservoir.[4] The Works Progress Administration (WPA) built six small log cabins along the shore to serve as a tourist destination along with a number of recreational facilities.[6] By 1938, the 125-acre lake was officially completed and filled via runoff. The lake serves as a flood control measure for the surrounding state park and provides numerous opportunities for recreation.[7]
Flora and fauna
The park is a protected nature area and largely faces few impacts from human interference. The lake provides habitat to multiple species and families of wildlife, including fish, insects, birds, trees, and more.
Fish
- Largemouth bass[8]
- Spotted bass[8]
- Bluegill
- Redear sunfish
- Channel catfish[8]
Avifauna
- Yellow-bellied sapsucker[9]
- Brown creeper[9]
- Hermit thrush
- Snow goose[9]
- American bald eagle[9]
- Mississippi kite
- Great blue heron[9]
- Osprey[9]
Mammals and reptiles
Flora
- Swamp poplar[11]
- Cottonwood
- Balsam poplar[12]
- Bald cypress[12]
- Tupelo[12]
- Oak
- American beech[12]
- Hickory[12]
- Sweetgum[12]
- American featherfoil
- Bay starvine
- Copper iris
- Cedar elm[12]
References
- ^ "Poplar Tree Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ^ "Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park". Tennessee State Parks. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ "Loosahatchie River Near Arlington, TN". waterdataui-production.wma.chs.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b "Edward J. Edward J. Meeman Biological Station". www.memphis.edu. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ Walker, T. "Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park". State Parks. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ "Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park – Millington TN". Living New Deal. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ "Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park Camping | Millington, Tennessee". The Dyrt. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b c "Fishing at Poplar Tree Lake, Tennessee → Explore Fishing Spots & Catches". FishAngler. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b c d e f "Tennessee Watchable Wildlife | Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA and State Park". tnwatchablewildlife.org. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b c d e "Meeman-Shelby Forest WMA and State Park | State of Tennessee, Wildlife Resources Agency". www.tn.gov. Archived from the original on 2025-03-30. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ "Black poplar | The Wildlife Trusts". www.wildlifetrusts.org. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g Thomas, Erin (2022-01-09). "Breakdown: Why Meeman-Shelby Forest is more man-made than you might think". www.actionnews5.com. Retrieved 2025-07-15.