Canyon Lake (Texas)

Last updated
Canyon Lake
USACE Canyon Lake and Dam Texas.jpg
Aerial view of Canyon Lake and Dam
Relief map of Texas.png
Red pog.svg
Canyon Lake
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Canyon Lake
Location Texas Hill Country, Comal County, Texas, US
Coordinates 29°52′53″N98°14′24″W / 29.88139°N 98.24000°W / 29.88139; -98.24000
Type Flood control reservoir
Primary inflows Guadalupe River
Primary outflows Guadalupe River
Basin  countriesUnited States
Surface area8,230 acres (33.3 km2)
Max. depth134 ft (41 m)
Water volume382,000  acre⋅ft (0.471 km3)
Shore length180 mi (130 km)
Surface elevation909 ft (277 m)
References [1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Canyon Lake is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River in the Texas Hill Country in the United States. Canyon Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir formed on the Guadalupe River in Comal County by Canyon Dam, which is located about sixteen miles northwest of New Braunfels. The dam, lake, and all adjacent property are managed by the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers. Water rights, waste water treatment, and hydroelectric generating facilities are managed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. Construction of the dam began in 1958 and was completed in 1964. The reservoir serves to provide flood control and water supply for the communities downstream from the dam. The lake is also a popular recreational destination.

Contents

Geography

Location of Canyon Lake, Texas TXMap-doton-CanyonLake.PNG
Location of Canyon Lake, Texas

Canyon Lake is located at 29°52′53″N98°14′24″W / 29.88139°N 98.24000°W / 29.88139; -98.24000 . [2] Please note, this GPS coordinate does not correspond to a public access location (please see the section below on Public Access in the Recreation section). It is located in northern Comal County, Texas, on the northeastern fringe of the San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA. It is about 35 mi (56 km) northeast of Downtown San Antonio and 40 mi (64 km) southwest of Austin. Towns in the immediate vicinity of the lake include Canyon City, Cranes Mill, Hancock, Fischer, Sattler, and Startzville, all part of the census-designated place known as Canyon Lake, Texas. Larger towns nearby include New Braunfels and San Marcos.

Canyon Lake Canyon Lake TX wide.JPG
Canyon Lake

History

Construction of Canyon Dam began in 1958 to provide both flood control and water conservation. Impoundment of the lake began in 1964, and the lake was filled to its conservation level in 1968.

Flood protection

Flood protection is provided for nearly 250 square miles (647 km2) of land downstream from Canyon Dam. The canyons of the upper Guadalupe River have a capacity to carry 40,000 - 50,000 cubic feet per second (1,100 - 1,400 m³/s) ; however, the channel on the lower Guadalupe River, downstream from the Balcones Escarpment, can carry only 13,000-30,000 cubic feet per second (400 – 800 m³/s). This has led to serious flooding in the lower Guadalupe River Basin, including a major flood in New Braunfels in 1972 which was caused by heavy rains just downstream from Canyon Dam.

Canyon Dam protected downstream areas from major floods in 1978, 1987, 1991, 1992 and 1998. A record flood in July 2002 overtopped the spillway by more than seven feet (2 m) and caused significant damage below Canyon Dam.

In the 2002 flood, the peak flow was about 70,000 cubic feet per second (2,000 m³/s). The amount of water that flowed over the spillway was about 3½ times the amount of water that the reservoir holds. Erosion over the course of three days washed away soil below the spillway to reveal what is now the Canyon Lake Gorge. Water continued to flow over the spillway for six weeks.

Water conservation

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) has rights to the water in the conservation pool of the lake. This water is used to operate several small hydroelectric plants downstream from New Braunfels and for municipal water supply, irrigation, and industrial uses. GBRA built a hydroelectric facility at Canyon Dam in August 1987; it was put into service in February 1989.

Recreation

A view of Canyon Lake Canyon Lake.jpg
A view of Canyon Lake

Canyon Lake is a center for recreation in the area. The Corps of Engineers built and maintains eight park areas around the lake for camping, swimming, boating and picnicking. Bank fishing is available in all park areas, and a fishing dock can be found in Cranes Mill Park on the south side of the lake. Comal County provides several public boat ramps for access to the lake. Hike, bike and equestrian trails are available, as is limited hunting (archery only) and professional fishing guide services.

There are several public parks on the shores of Canyon Lake that allow access to the lake for swimming, fishing and boating.

There are 2 marinas located on the lake. The marinas have boats and jet skis available for rent.

There are several public boat ramps on the lake as well as private boat ramps. Public access boat ramps are available free of charge. The private boat ramps at the marinas or in some of the parks are available to the public for a fee. There is no fishing or swimming allowed at any of the boat ramps.

Lake level concerns

Plans by GBRA to sell water from Canyon Lake to supply the fast-growing San Antonio and Austin regions have raised concerns that the lake will fall well below the established conservation pool level, potentially causing problems ranging from erosion and weakening of Canyon Dam to a decline in property values and possible health issues from the exposure of long-submerged land. This has led to several administrative actions and lawsuits over the future of Canyon Lake.

On September 1, 2023, Canyon Lake dropped to its lowest pool level on record [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake Travis</span> Reservoir in central Texas, USA

Lake Travis is a reservoir on the Colorado River in central Texas in the United States. It is named in honor of William B. Travis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone Lake</span> Dam in Oklahoma Pawnee / Osage / Creek / Tulsa counties, Oklahoma

Keystone Lake is a reservoir in northeastern Oklahoma on the Arkansas and Cimarron rivers. It is located upstream about 23 miles (37 km) from Tulsa. It was created in 1968 when the Keystone Dam was completed. The primary purposes are: flood control, hydroelectric power generation, wildlife management and recreation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake McQueeney</span> Hydroelectric reservoir in Guadalupe County, Texas

Lake McQueeney is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River located 5 miles (8 km) west of Seguin in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. It was formed in 1928 by the construction of a dam to provide hydroelectric power to the area. Management of the dam and lake was assumed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority on May 1, 1963. Its prominent feature is Treasure Island, a residential area that has been subjected to major flooding in 1972, 1998, and 2002. Most of it is approximately 10 feet (3 m) deep, with deeper sections along the center channel of the river. It is a venue for outdoor recreation, including fishing, boating, and swimming, and is maintained at a constant level year round. Amid concerns of aging dams along the lower Guadalupe River, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority announced that four lakes will be drained including lake McQueeny beginning Sept 16th (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guadalupe River (Texas)</span> River in Texas, United States

The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas, to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico, with an average temperature of 17.75 degrees Celsius. It is a popular destination for rafting, fly fishing, and canoeing. Larger cities along it include Kerrville, New Braunfels, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria. It has several dams along its length, the most notable of which, Canyon Dam, forms Canyon Lake northwest of New Braunfels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Table Rock Lake</span> Man-made lake in Missouri and Arkansas, United States

Table Rock Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in the Ozarks of southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas in the United States. Designed, built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the lake is impounded by Table Rock Dam, which was constructed from 1954 to 1958 on the White River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennings Randolph Lake</span> Reservoir in West Virginia, United States

Jennings Randolph Lake is a reservoir of 952 acres (3.85 km2) located on the North Branch Potomac River in Garrett County, Maryland and Mineral County, West Virginia. It is approximately 8 miles (13 km) upstream of Bloomington, Maryland, and approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Elk Garden, West Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dworshak Dam</span> Dam in Idaho

Dworshak Dam is a concrete gravity dam in the western United States, on the North Fork of the Clearwater River in north central Idaho. In Clearwater County, the dam is located approximately four miles (6 km) northwest of Orofino and impounds the Dworshak Reservoir for flood control and hydroelectricity generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somerset Dam</span> Dam in South East Queensland

The Somerset Dam is a mass concrete gravity dam with a gated spillway across the Stanley River in Queensland, Australia. It is within the locality of Somerset Dam in the Somerset Region in South East Queensland. The main purpose of the dam is the supply of potable water for the Brisbane, Gold Coast and Logan City regions. Additionally, the dam provides for flood mitigation, recreation and for the generation of hydroelectricity. The impounded reservoir is called Lake Somerset.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuttle Creek Lake</span> Kansas reservoir on the Big Blue River

Tuttle Creek Lake is a reservoir on the Big Blue River 5 miles (8 km) north of Manhattan, in the Flint Hills region of northeast Kansas. It was built and is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers for the primary purpose of flood control. Secondary functions of the project include release of water stores to maintain barge traffic on the Mississippi River during seasons of drought, maintenance of a multi-use conservation pool for fish and wildlife enhancement and recreation, and release of sufficient water in droughts to maintain water quality for downstream communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabella Dam</span> Dam in Kern County, California

Isabella Dam is an embankment dam located in the Kern River Valley, about halfway down the Kern River course, between the towns of Kernville and Lake Isabella in Kern County, California.

Lake Gonzales is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River 4 miles (6 km) southeast of the town of Belmont in Gonzales County, Texas. The reservoir was formed in 1931 by the construction of a dam to provide hydroelectric power to the area. Management of the dam and lake was assumed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority on May 1, 1963.

Meadow Lake is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River south of the town of Seguin in Guadalupe County, Texas. The reservoir was formed in 1931 by the construction of a dam to provide hydroelectric power to the area. Management of the dam and lake was assumed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority on May 1, 1963. Meadow Lake also serves as a venue for outdoor recreation, including fishing and boating.

Lake Dunlap is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River near the town of New Braunfels in Guadalupe County, Texas, United States. The reservoir was formed in 1931 by the construction of a dam to provide hydroelectric power to the area. Management of the dam and lake was assumed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority on May 1, 1963. Lake Dunlap serves as a venue for outdoor recreation, including fishing and boating. In 2019, the dam failed, draining the lake. The repair was completed in August 2023, and then lake fully restored by ends of October that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canyon Dam (Texas)</span> Dam in on the Guadalupe River

The Canyon Dam in Texas is a rolled-earth dam on the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country. The water impounded by the dam forms Canyon Lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Patman Lake</span> Reservoir in northeast Texas in the United States

Wright Patman Lake is a reservoir in northeast Texas in the United States. The lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir formed on the Sulphur River in Bowie and Cass counties by Wright Patman Dam. The reservoir provides flood control and water conservation for the communities downstream from the dam. The lake is also a popular recreational destination. The Bowie County side of the lake is part of the Texarkana metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost Creek Lake</span> Reservoir in Jackson County, Oregon

Lost Creek Lake is a reservoir located on the Rogue River in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The lake is impounded by William L. Jess Dam which was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1977 for flood control and fisheries enhancement. The lake and dam were the first completed elements of the multi-purpose Rogue River Basin Project, consisting of Lost Creek Lake, Applegate Lake and the Elk Creek project. The lake is located approximately 27 miles (43 km) northeast of Medford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canyon Lake Gorge</span>

Canyon Lake Gorge is a limestone gorge in Texas, which is around 1 mile (1.6 km) long, hundreds of yards (metres) wide, and up to 50 feet (15 m) or more deep, which was exposed in 2002 when extensive flooding of the Guadalupe River led to a huge amount of water going over the spillway from Canyon Lake reservoir and removing the sediment from the gorge. The gorge provides a valuable exposure of rock strata as old as 111 million years showing fossils and a set of dinosaur tracks, and forms a new ecosystem for wildlife with carp and other creatures in a series of pools fed by springs and waterfalls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Redmond Reservoir</span> Reservoir in Coffey County, Kansas

John Redmond Reservoir is a reservoir on the Neosho River in eastern Kansas. Built and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it is used for flood control, recreation, water supply, and wildlife management. It borders the Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Fe Dam</span> Dam in Irwindale, California

Santa Fe Dam is a flood-control dam on the San Gabriel River located in Irwindale in Los Angeles County, California, United States. For most of the year, the 92-foot (28 m)-high dam and its reservoir lie empty, but can hold more than 45,000 acre-feet (56,000,000 m3) of water during major storms. During the dry season, the basin behind the dam is used for groundwater recharge, as well as various recreational activities.

References

  1. Depth of Canyon Reservoir. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  2. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  3. "Canyon Lake drops to lowest level on record as drought persists". September 2023.