地理
斧(fu)頭(tou)(tou)湖(hu)原與(yu)西梁湖(hu)同屬(shu)一湖(hu)。古(gu)時(shi)，斧(fu)頭(tou)(tou)湖(hu)與(yu)長江(jiang)相(xiang)連，宋初(chu)江(jiang)洲淤積(ji)，長江(jiang)北徙，形成(cheng)湖(hu)泊，后(hou)來長江(jiang)古(gu)道形成(cheng)金水河，西梁湖(hu)一分二，赤壁(bi)仍(reng)稱西梁湖(hu)，嘉魚遂稱斧(fu)頭(tou)(tou)湖(hu)。
傳說
說起斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)頭湖(hu)，民(min)間相傳(chuan)：明末農民(min)起義軍領袖楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)(yao)，有一(yi)把(ba)宣(xuan)花大金斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)，九(jiu)九(jiu)八十(shi)一(yi)斤，楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)(yao)用(yong)此(ci)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)砍殺(sha)官兵(bing)(bing)，打了(le)許多勝(sheng)仗。當年楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)(yao)水軍被破，被官兵(bing)(bing)圍在這個大湖(hu)里，官兵(bing)(bing)中敢(gan)捉楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)(yao)的(de)(de)不多，想得此(ci)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)的(de)(de)卻不少。那天(tian)眾官兵(bing)(bing)圍住(zhu)了(le)楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)(yao)，大喊交(jiao)出斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)頭就留一(yi)條活命。楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)(yao)一(yi)想，命都不要了(le)，還留此(ci)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)何用(yong)。于是他站在船頭仰天(tian)大笑，起手就把(ba)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)頭丟下了(le)湖(hu)。即時(shi)，湖(hu)面(mian)象煮開了(le)的(de)(de)水，鼓(gu)著泡泡，冒著熱氣，落(luo)水的(de)(de)地方長出了(le)一(yi)座山(shan)，壁陡壁陡，遠遠望去(qu)就像(xiang)一(yi)把(ba)插在湖(hu)里的(de)(de)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)頭，后(hou)人把(ba)這座山(shan)取名斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)頭山(shan)，山(shan)下的(de)(de)湖(hu)北面(mian)亦形狀似斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)，遂稱之為斧(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)(fu)頭湖(hu)。
還有另一(yi)湖(hu)名(ming)的由來講述：一(yi)次(ci)吳剛喝(he)醉了(le)(le)(le)酒(jiu)，猛然想起(qi)玉帝令他(ta)(ta)砍(kan)梭羅(luo)樹(shu)(shu)，為南(nan)海觀世音做(zuo)蓮花(hua)(hua)寶(bao)座一(yi)事，連忙抓起(qi)斧(fu)頭便(bian)往(wang)樹(shu)(shu)上爬。由于頭暈(yun)眼花(hua)(hua)，錯把桂花(hua)(hua)樹(shu)(shu)當(dang)成了(le)(le)(le)梭羅(luo)樹(shu)(shu)。嫦娥一(yi)見急(ji)了(le)(le)(le)，砍(kan)了(le)(le)(le)玉帝封的神樹(shu)(shu)還了(le)(le)(le)得！她一(yi)急(ji)，便(bian)將懷中的玉兔向吳剛身上拋去，意(yi)在阻止他(ta)(ta)砍(kan)桂花(hua)(hua)樹(shu)(shu)。吳剛突然嚇了(le)(le)(le)一(yi)跳，便(bian)忙用斧(fu)頭一(yi)擋(dang)，斧(fu)頭碰到(dao)兔子嘴(zui)(zui)上，將兔子的嘴(zui)(zui)劈成兩瓣，從此兔子便(bian)成豁子嘴(zui)(zui)了(le)(le)(le)。斧(fu)頭從吳剛手中丟落，掉到(dao)長江邊，砸了(le)(le)(le)一(yi)個方圓幾百里的坑，天長日久，便(bian)成了(le)(le)(le)湖(hu)了(le)(le)(le)，人們將這湖(hu)叫斧(fu)頭湖(hu)。
優勢
斧頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)的北、東、南三面(mian)多丘(qiu)陵(ling)，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)岸曲折，西面(mian)為沖擊平(ping)原(yuan)(yuan)，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)岸亦較平(ping)直。流域面(mian)積1238平(ping)方公(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)里，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)216平(ping)方公(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)里，由于(yu)徑(jing)流匯(hui)入量大，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)水水位最高達24.3米(mi)。1971年以來，綜合治理斧頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)后（修建余(yu)碼頭(tou)大閘(zha)和余(yu)碼頭(tou)電力排灌站、金水閘(zha)電排站），現(xian)斧頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)，東西寬9公(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)里，南北長(chang)18公(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)里，面(mian)積162.44平(ping)方公(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)里，生(sheng)產線（保(bao)持水位）由原(yuan)(yuan)來的21.5米(mi)降到20.5米(mi)。在嘉魚縣轄(xia)域內，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)38.75平(ping)方公(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)里，增墾農田(tian)1.4萬畝。
資源
斧頭湖西(xi)岸的(de)(de)沖擊平原，土(tu)壤(rang)肥沃，孕(yun)育(yu)了以嘉魚縣潘家(jia)灣鎮為(wei)(wei)中心的(de)(de)全(quan)縣42萬畝(mu)蔬菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)基地，年產(chan)(chan)聯樂(le)牌無公(gong)害(hai)新(xin)鮮(xian)蔬菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)近百萬噸，蔬菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)逐步(bu)由大路菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)向(xiang)精(jing)細(xi)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)，旱生菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)向(xiang)水生菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)，家(jia)生菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)向(xiang)野生菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)，常(chang)規品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)向(xiang)名優特品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)延(yan)(yan)伸；生產(chan)(chan)方式由平面種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)植向(xiang)立體種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)植延(yan)(yan)伸。即“引洋種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)洋種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)；引名種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)精(jing)細(xi)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)；育(yu)土(tu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)野生菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)；育(yu)新(xin)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)反季節菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)”，初步(bu)形(xing)成全(quan)縣一(yi)業，各鎮一(yi)品的(de)(de)格局，已(yi)成為(wei)(wei)全(quan)國聞名的(de)(de)“蔬菜(cai)(cai)(cai)(cai)之(zhi)鄉”。
斧頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)西(xi)岸的(de)渡普鎮依托斧頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)豐富的(de)水產(chan)資源(yuan)，建成了一(yi)個萬畝連片精養魚池基地(di)和一(yi)個萬畝連片圍欄(lan)養殖基地(di)，2004年全(quan)鎮養殖面積達(da)59100畝，鮮(xian)魚產(chan)量(liang)達(da)15670噸，蝦、蟹產(chan)量(liang)達(da)670噸，面積、產(chan)量(liang)均占全(quan)縣的(de)四分之一(yi)。為(wei)嘉魚縣成為(wei)“全(quan)國百強水產(chan)縣”、“湖(hu)(hu)北十強水產(chan)縣”作(zuo)出了貢獻。
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