地理
斧(fu)頭(tou)湖(hu)原與西梁(liang)湖(hu)同屬一湖(hu)。古時，斧(fu)頭(tou)湖(hu)與長(chang)江(jiang)相連，宋(song)初江(jiang)洲淤積(ji)，長(chang)江(jiang)北徙(xi)，形成(cheng)湖(hu)泊，后來長(chang)江(jiang)古道形成(cheng)金水河，西梁(liang)湖(hu)一分二(er)，赤壁仍稱西梁(liang)湖(hu)，嘉魚遂稱斧(fu)頭(tou)湖(hu)。
傳說
說起(qi)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)，民(min)間相傳：明末農民(min)起(qi)義軍領袖楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)，有一(yi)把(ba)宣花大(da)(da)(da)金斧(fu)(fu)(fu)，九九八十一(yi)斤(jin)，楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)用此斧(fu)(fu)(fu)砍殺官兵(bing)，打(da)了(le)(le)(le)許(xu)多勝仗。當年楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)水(shui)軍被(bei)破(po)，被(bei)官兵(bing)圍在這個(ge)大(da)(da)(da)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)里(li)，官兵(bing)中敢捉楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)的(de)(de)(de)不(bu)多，想得此斧(fu)(fu)(fu)的(de)(de)(de)卻不(bu)少。那天(tian)眾(zhong)官兵(bing)圍住了(le)(le)(le)楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)，大(da)(da)(da)喊交出(chu)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)頭(tou)就留一(yi)條(tiao)活命。楊(yang)(yang)幺(yao)(yao)一(yi)想，命都(dou)不(bu)要了(le)(le)(le)，還(huan)留此斧(fu)(fu)(fu)何用。于是他站在船頭(tou)仰天(tian)大(da)(da)(da)笑，起(qi)手就把(ba)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)頭(tou)丟下了(le)(le)(le)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)。即時(shi)，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)面象煮開了(le)(le)(le)的(de)(de)(de)水(shui)，鼓著泡泡，冒著熱氣(qi)，落水(shui)的(de)(de)(de)地方長出(chu)了(le)(le)(le)一(yi)座山(shan)，壁(bi)陡壁(bi)陡，遠遠望去就像一(yi)把(ba)插在湖(hu)(hu)(hu)里(li)的(de)(de)(de)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)頭(tou)，后(hou)人把(ba)這座山(shan)取名斧(fu)(fu)(fu)頭(tou)山(shan)，山(shan)下的(de)(de)(de)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)北(bei)面亦形狀似斧(fu)(fu)(fu)，遂稱之為(wei)斧(fu)(fu)(fu)頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)。
還有另一湖(hu)(hu)名的由來講述：一次吳(wu)剛喝醉了(le)(le)(le)酒，猛然想起玉帝令他(ta)砍梭羅樹，為(wei)南海觀世(shi)音(yin)做蓮花寶座一事，連忙(mang)抓起斧(fu)頭(tou)便(bian)往樹上(shang)爬。由于頭(tou)暈眼花，錯把(ba)桂花樹當成了(le)(le)(le)梭羅樹。嫦娥(e)一見急了(le)(le)(le)，砍了(le)(le)(le)玉帝封(feng)的神(shen)樹還了(le)(le)(le)得！她一急，便(bian)將(jiang)懷中(zhong)的玉兔向吳(wu)剛身上(shang)拋(pao)去，意(yi)在阻止他(ta)砍桂花樹。吳(wu)剛突然嚇了(le)(le)(le)一跳，便(bian)忙(mang)用(yong)斧(fu)頭(tou)一擋，斧(fu)頭(tou)碰到兔子(zi)嘴上(shang)，將(jiang)兔子(zi)的嘴劈(pi)成兩瓣，從此兔子(zi)便(bian)成豁(huo)子(zi)嘴了(le)(le)(le)。斧(fu)頭(tou)從吳(wu)剛手中(zhong)丟落，掉到長(chang)江邊(bian)，砸了(le)(le)(le)一個(ge)方圓幾百里的坑，天(tian)長(chang)日久，便(bian)成了(le)(le)(le)湖(hu)(hu)了(le)(le)(le)，人們將(jiang)這湖(hu)(hu)叫斧(fu)頭(tou)湖(hu)(hu)。
優勢
斧頭湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)的北、東、南(nan)(nan)三面(mian)(mian)多(duo)丘(qiu)陵(ling)，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)岸(an)曲折，西(xi)面(mian)(mian)為沖(chong)擊平(ping)原，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)岸(an)亦較平(ping)直。流域(yu)面(mian)(mian)積1238平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)(mian)216平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)，由于徑流匯入量大，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)水(shui)(shui)水(shui)(shui)位最高達24.3米。1971年以來，綜合(he)治理斧頭湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)后（修建余碼頭大閘(zha)和(he)余碼頭電(dian)力排灌站、金水(shui)(shui)閘(zha)電(dian)排站），現斧頭湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)(mian)，東西(xi)寬9公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)，南(nan)(nan)北長18公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)，面(mian)(mian)積162.44平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)，生產線（保持水(shui)(shui)位）由原來的21.5米降到20.5米。在嘉(jia)魚縣轄域(yu)內，湖(hu)(hu)(hu)(hu)面(mian)(mian)38.75平(ping)方(fang)公(gong)(gong)里(li)(li)，增(zeng)墾農田1.4萬畝。
資源
斧(fu)頭湖西岸的沖擊平原，土(tu)壤肥沃，孕育(yu)了以(yi)嘉魚縣(xian)(xian)潘家灣鎮為(wei)中心(xin)的全(quan)縣(xian)(xian)42萬畝蔬(shu)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)基地，年產(chan)(chan)聯樂牌無公害新(xin)鮮蔬(shu)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)近百萬噸，蔬(shu)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)逐步由大路菜(cai)(cai)(cai)向(xiang)精細(xi)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)，旱生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)向(xiang)水(shui)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)，家生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)向(xiang)野生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)，常規品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)向(xiang)名優(you)特品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)延伸(shen)；生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)產(chan)(chan)方式由平面種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)植向(xiang)立體種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)植延伸(shen)。即“引洋(yang)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)洋(yang)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)；引名種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)精細(xi)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)；育(yu)土(tu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)野生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)；育(yu)新(xin)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)反季節菜(cai)(cai)(cai)”，初步形成全(quan)縣(xian)(xian)一業(ye)，各鎮一品的格局，已成為(wei)全(quan)國聞名的“蔬(shu)菜(cai)(cai)(cai)之鄉(xiang)”。
斧頭(tou)湖西岸的(de)渡普鎮(zhen)(zhen)依托斧頭(tou)湖豐富的(de)水(shui)(shui)產資源，建成(cheng)(cheng)了一(yi)個萬畝(mu)連(lian)片精養魚池基(ji)地和一(yi)個萬畝(mu)連(lian)片圍(wei)欄養殖基(ji)地，2004年(nian)全鎮(zhen)(zhen)養殖面積(ji)達(da)59100畝(mu)，鮮魚產量(liang)達(da)15670噸，蝦、蟹產量(liang)達(da)670噸，面積(ji)、產量(liang)均占全縣(xian)的(de)四分之一(yi)。為嘉魚縣(xian)成(cheng)(cheng)為“全國百強(qiang)水(shui)(shui)產縣(xian)”、“湖北十(shi)強(qiang)水(shui)(shui)產縣(xian)”作出了貢獻。
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