Man-made lake in Texas, United States
Lake Buchanan
(
[1]
[2]
) was formed by the construction of
Buchanan Dam
by the
Lower Colorado River Authority
to provide a water supply for the region and to provide
hydroelectric power
. Buchanan Dam, a structure over 2 mi (3.2 km) in length, was completed in 1939. Lake Buchanan was the first of the
Texas Highland Lakes
to be formed, and with 22,333 acres (34.9 sq mi; 90.4 km
2
) of surface water, it is also the largest. The surface of the lake includes area in both
Burnet
and
Llano
Counties. The lake is west of the city of
Burnet, Texas
.
The other reservoirs on the
Colorado River
are
Inks Lake
,
Lake LBJ
,
Lake Marble Falls
,
Lake Travis
,
Lake Austin
, and
Lady Bird Lake
.
The lake is named for Representative
James P. Buchanan
(1867?1937), who is credited with securing the funding to build the lake and dam.
History
[
edit
]
Lake Buchanan was artificially created upon the completion of the adjacent Buchanan Dam in 1938. Work on the dam itself began in April 1931, but was suspended a year later. Work resumed in 1935, with the dam completed three years later. However, deliberate impounding of the reservoir began in May 1937. Initially, the dam and resulting reservoir project was known as Hamilton Dam and Reservoir, but its name was changed to honor Texas Congressman James P. Buchanan upon the completion of the project;
[3]
Buchanan had been responsible for securing federal funding for the project.
[4]
The flooding of the lake forced the community of
Bluffton
to relocate 5 mi (8.0 km) westward. The abandoned community was soon inundated; however, a
drought
in 2011 caused Lake Buchanan's water level to drop significantly, exposing the remains of the town.
[5]
Fish and wildlife populations
[
edit
]
Lake Buchanan has been stocked with several species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish present in Lake Buchanan include
largemouth bass
,
catfish
,
white bass
, and
striped bass
.
[
citation needed
]
Lake Buchanan is a level-controlled reservoir, and will not be allowed to flood during periods of heavy rain. The lake level can, however, drop significantly during periods of drought.
[5]
Recreational uses
[
edit
]
Much of the property bordering Lake Buchanan is privately owned. Many lakeside cottages and homes are rented out on a regular basis.
[
citation needed
]
The Lower Colorado River Authority maintains three parks on the lake: Cedar Point Recreation Area, Black Rock Park, and Canyon of the Eagles.
[6]
County parks and private
marinas
offer boating access to the lake. Fall Creek Winery, the oldest
winery
in the
Texas Hill Country
, is located at the confluence of Fall Creek and Lake Buchanan.
[7]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]