Mountain Island Lake is the source for Charlotte area drinking water. This lake has more environmental restrictions on it than Lake Norman or Lake Wylie. It is also a much smaller lake.
Due to its environmental restrictions, just a few neighborhoods actually touch its shores. The real estate developers have done a beautiful job with the few that do. One of the most popular neighborhoods here, would have to be Overlook. Lake front homes on Mountain Island Lake can be found be looking at Real Estate Map area 42.

Lake Norman, like Lake Wylie, its sister lake to the south, is a “working” lake, created by Duke Energy for the generation of hydroelectric power. Both are part of the Catawba River system. Lake Norman is the larger of the two lakes, residents often enjoy snubbing Lake Wylie residents by calling 'their lake', simply 'The Lake' in reference to its greater size... 520 miles of shoreline in four counties - Mecklenburg, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba. At nearly 34 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point, it is larger than the Sea of Galilee. Lake Wylie's shoreline goes for 327 miles...smaller than Lake Norman, but by no means, small.

Lake Norman shores touches Mecklenburg County, Iredell County, Catawba County, and Lincoln County. When searching for a waterfront home in Lake Norman the real estate map references it as Area 13. To shorten your commute time uptown Charlotte, your search for lakes homes should be in the Mecklenburg County and South Iredell County.

West Lake Norman – which includes the eastern Lincoln County communities of Denver, Westport and Triangle and the Catawba County communities of Sherrill's Ford and Terrell – offer easy commutes to Uptown Charlotte, great water views and less congestion than the eastern shore of the lake. Waterfront homes will be a bit less expensive here, as the real estate developments on this section of Lake Norman have slow coming.

If you’re looking for a place that’s like what Lake Norman used to be before its explosive eastern shore growth, head to the Catawba County communities of Sherrill's Ford and Terrell. With a location that is the furthest away from Charlotte, no major highways and little water or sewer infrastructure, the northwestern corner of Lake Norman is by far the least developed and therefore the least expensive of Lake Norman's waterfront homes.

Unless you’re on a boat or have access to private land, 1,600-acre Lake Norman State Park in Troutman is the only place swimming is allowed from Lake Norman shores. The park also offers boat ramps, picnic shelters, campsites, mountain biking and hiking trails.

Waterfront homes in Lake Wylie offer the same beauty as Lake Norman. Most Lake Wylie real estate is actually located in South Carolina.

To find Lake Wylie homes for sale on the real estate map, focus on Area 15. It incorporates both the North Carolina and South Carolina Lake Wylie real estate listings.

Charlotte's access to Lake Wylie starts in the southwest corner of Mecklenburg County and extends across the S.C. state line into York County and northward into Gaston County. The lake was created he lake was created in 1904 and named for Dr. W. Gill Wylie, who helped persuade his patient, J.B. “Buck” Duke, to dam the Catawba River to generate hydroelectric power. 

On the NC side of Lake Wylie is McDowell Park, located on N.C. 49 (on the right) just as you approach the bridge. The park offers a sweeping view of some of the most scenic areas of Lake Wylie accessible by car. The 1,108-acre, county-operated nature preserve offers hiking, camping and a nature center with educational programs for kids and adults, plus paddle boat rental.