Brantley Lake State Park
Encyclopedia
Brantley Lake State Park is a state park
of New Mexico
, USA, located approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) north of Carlsbad
. The park takes its name from Brantley Lake, a man-made reservoir
created when Brantley Dam was built across the Pecos River
in the 1980s. The lake is the southernmost lake in New Mexico, and it is popular for boating and fishing. It has a surface area of approximately 4000 acres (16.2 km²), but that varies due to the inconsistent flow of the Pecos River and the arid climate in which the lake is located.
The lake is stocked with bass
, walleye
, catfish
, bluegill
, and crappie
, however officials have recently detected high levels of DDT
in the fish and the State Parks Department is recommending that the fish not be eaten.
The park has 51 developed campsites with electricity, shower facilities, a playground, a visitor center, and other amenities.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, USA, located approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) north of Carlsbad
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,138. Carlsbad is the center of the designated micropolitan area of Carlsbad-Artesia, which has a total population of 55,435...
. The park takes its name from Brantley Lake, a man-made reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
created when Brantley Dam was built across the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
in the 1980s. The lake is the southernmost lake in New Mexico, and it is popular for boating and fishing. It has a surface area of approximately 4000 acres (16.2 km²), but that varies due to the inconsistent flow of the Pecos River and the arid climate in which the lake is located.
The lake is stocked with bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
, walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, and crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, however officials have recently detected high levels of DDT
DDT
DDT is one of the most well-known synthetic insecticides. It is a chemical with a long, unique, and controversial history....
in the fish and the State Parks Department is recommending that the fish not be eaten.
The park has 51 developed campsites with electricity, shower facilities, a playground, a visitor center, and other amenities.