Green Lake (Texas)
Encyclopedia
Green Lake is a natural tidal lake in Calhoun County, Texas
, on the Guadalupe River
flood basin, known for its greenish waters, from which its name derives. The lake is 12 miles (19.3 km) west of Port Lavaca
and 22 miles (35.4 km) south of Victoria
on the Gulf Coastal Plain
, and although less than 3 miles (4.8 km) from the coast of San Antonio Bay
, its waters are fresh. Covering an area of 10,000 acres (40 km²), it is the largest freshwater lake entirely in Texas. A wetland ecosystem supporting a wide variety of waterfowl has developed along the lake and near the Guadalupe River delta.
The lake shore was once home to an affluent 19th-century agricultural community of the same name, which dwindled in size and status during the 20th century. It was strategically important during the early stages of the American Civil War
because of its proximity to fresh water and the sea. The town was virtually abandoned in the aftermath of the war, but was somewhat revitalized after oil was discovered near the lake in 1947. A fictional lake of the same name and with similar qualities is featured in the 1998 novel Holes
.
, but became separated about 2,200 years ago after the Guadalupe River delta discharge extended into the bay and cut off its northern reaches. Pottery and burial grounds discovered near the lake suggest that the Karankawa
Indians had a presence in the area.
Wealthy cotton
farmers from Kentucky
established plantations and settled the fertile lands near the lake during the 1850s. Early in the American Civil War
, Federal troops under Colonel Carlos Waite, who had replaced General David E. Twiggs
, were stationed near the lake while they waited for ships to evacuate Texas from the coast. During their stay, Texas seceded from the Union
, and called for the capture of all Federal military companies remaining in the state to be given the choice of either joining the Confederacy
or being imprisoned. Some of the remaining uncaptured companies elsewhere in the state attempted to flee to Green Lake, where they could safely wait to depart near an adequate source of freshwater. Several regiments camped by the lake later in the war, and complained about mosquito
s.
After the war, returning residents found that their slaves, livestock and farm equipment had been taken. Most residents moved elsewhere, however, in the early 20th century, farmers returned and the town of Green Lake began to grow, with an approximate population of 300 in 1914. From about 1900 to 1915, it was estimated that $100,000 of fish were caught in the lake. This was revealed during the proceedings of the Texas Courts of Appeals
' 1917 Welder v. State case, which ultimately found that dried areas of the lake belonged to the Game, Fish and Oyster Commission, and could not be sold. Two decades later, in the midst of the Great Depression
, the population of Green Lake dwindled to 25, until oil was discovered near the lake in 1947. Twenty wells were constructed at the Green Lake oilfield, although as of 1984, only one still operated. By 2000, the population was 51, the same number that was reported in 1970 and 1990.
The water level is shallow near the shoreline, but begins to fall to a maximum depth, a hundred feet from the shore. At this point the bottom is generally flat and averages about 4 feet (1.2 m) in depth. The nearby Guadalupe River frequently floods the plain, and is the main source of fresh water renewal. The shoreline is naturally grassy and poorly drained with coastal marshes between the lake and San Antonio Bay. To improve drainage, a levee was constructed, separating the lake from the Victoria Barge Canal built in 1967, which runs along the bay's northern and eastern shore, and cuts off several bayous from entering the lake. The canal begins north at an industrial plant outside Victoria and empties in San Antonio Bay, in Seadrift. The Hog Bayou runs along the western shore of Green Lake, through the Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area to the south, before its confluence with Mission Lake. The nearest community is the rural settlement of Green Lake, whose residents use the lake for fishing, hunting waterfowl and water sports. The town of Tivoli
is 4 miles (6.4 km) to the southwest.
, black willow
, cedar
, American elm
, hackberry and green ash
. To the south, the Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area serves as a wetland habitat for thousands of permanent egret
s, and other birds, including the endangered Brown Pelican
, Reddish Egret
, White-faced Ibis
, Wood Stork
, Bald Eagle
, White-tailed Hawk
, Peregrine Falcon
, and the Whooping Crane
. American Alligator
s reside in the area as well.
Redfish
and trout
were once the main species of fish living in the lake, until the construction of an embankment reduced their populations. A large quantity of silt is now deposited in the lake from the Guadalupe River, after the dredging of a freshwater channel that supplies farmers and the Union Carbide
plant in Seadrift
. The channel has negatively affected the delta ecosystem by diminishing the river's nutritional input.
's 1998 novel Holes
, and the 2003 film adaptation
. It is described as a dry lake that had once been the largest in the state, surrounded by an affluent community. After a long drought, the lake dried up and the area became a ghost town
. Juvenile delinquents were sent to Camp Green Lake to dig holes in the lakebed as punishment.
Calhoun County, Texas
Calhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, the population was 20,647. Its county seat is Port Lavaca. It is a part of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, on the Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River (Texas)
The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...
flood basin, known for its greenish waters, from which its name derives. The lake is 12 miles (19.3 km) west of Port Lavaca
Port Lavaca, Texas
Port Lavaca is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 12,248 at the 2010 census. The County had a 3.6% growth which brought the county population to 21,381. The city itself is bringing in more business into the area. It is the county seat of Calhoun County...
and 22 miles (35.4 km) south of Victoria
Victoria, Texas
Victoria is a city in and the seat of Victoria County, Texas, United States. The population was 60,603 at the 2000 census. The three counties of the Victoria Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 111,163 at the 2000 census,...
on the Gulf Coastal Plain
Gulf Coastal Plain
The Gulf Coastal Plain extends around the Gulf of Mexico in the Southern United States and eastern Mexico.The plain reaches from the western Florida Panhandle, the southwestern two thirds of Alabama, over most of Mississippi, some of western Tennessee and Kentucky, southwest Arkansas, the Florida...
, and although less than 3 miles (4.8 km) from the coast of San Antonio Bay
San Antonio Bay
San Antonio Bay is a bay on the Texas Gulf coast situated between Matagorda and Aransas Bay. It consists mainly of the combined waters of the San Antonio and Guadalupe rivers, and is located at the mouth of the Guadalupe River, about 55 miles northeast of Corpus Christi and 130 miles southeast...
, its waters are fresh. Covering an area of 10,000 acres (40 km²), it is the largest freshwater lake entirely in Texas. A wetland ecosystem supporting a wide variety of waterfowl has developed along the lake and near the Guadalupe River delta.
The lake shore was once home to an affluent 19th-century agricultural community of the same name, which dwindled in size and status during the 20th century. It was strategically important during the early stages of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
because of its proximity to fresh water and the sea. The town was virtually abandoned in the aftermath of the war, but was somewhat revitalized after oil was discovered near the lake in 1947. A fictional lake of the same name and with similar qualities is featured in the 1998 novel Holes
Holes (novel)
Holes is a Newbery Medal-winning novel by Louis Sachar. It was adapted into a screenplay for the 2003 film by Walt Disney Pictures. In 2006, Sachar published Small Steps, a companion novel featuring one of the characters from Holes.-Plot:...
.
History
Green Lake was originally a northern inlet of San Antonio BaySan Antonio Bay
San Antonio Bay is a bay on the Texas Gulf coast situated between Matagorda and Aransas Bay. It consists mainly of the combined waters of the San Antonio and Guadalupe rivers, and is located at the mouth of the Guadalupe River, about 55 miles northeast of Corpus Christi and 130 miles southeast...
, but became separated about 2,200 years ago after the Guadalupe River delta discharge extended into the bay and cut off its northern reaches. Pottery and burial grounds discovered near the lake suggest that the Karankawa
Karankawa
Karankawa were a group of Native American peoples, now extinct as a tribal group, who played a pivotal part in early Texas history....
Indians had a presence in the area.
Wealthy cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
farmers from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
established plantations and settled the fertile lands near the lake during the 1850s. Early in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Federal troops under Colonel Carlos Waite, who had replaced General David E. Twiggs
David E. Twiggs
David Emanuel Twiggs was a United States soldier during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War and a general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War...
, were stationed near the lake while they waited for ships to evacuate Texas from the coast. During their stay, Texas seceded from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
, and called for the capture of all Federal military companies remaining in the state to be given the choice of either joining the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
or being imprisoned. Some of the remaining uncaptured companies elsewhere in the state attempted to flee to Green Lake, where they could safely wait to depart near an adequate source of freshwater. Several regiments camped by the lake later in the war, and complained about mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
s.
After the war, returning residents found that their slaves, livestock and farm equipment had been taken. Most residents moved elsewhere, however, in the early 20th century, farmers returned and the town of Green Lake began to grow, with an approximate population of 300 in 1914. From about 1900 to 1915, it was estimated that $100,000 of fish were caught in the lake. This was revealed during the proceedings of the Texas Courts of Appeals
Texas Courts of Appeals
The Texas Courts of Appeals are part of the Texas judicial system. In Texas, all cases appealed from the district level, both criminal and civil, may be heard by one of the fourteen Texas Courts of Appeals. The exception is for cases where the death penalty is a factor; these cases go directly to...
' 1917 Welder v. State case, which ultimately found that dried areas of the lake belonged to the Game, Fish and Oyster Commission, and could not be sold. Two decades later, in the midst of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the population of Green Lake dwindled to 25, until oil was discovered near the lake in 1947. Twenty wells were constructed at the Green Lake oilfield, although as of 1984, only one still operated. By 2000, the population was 51, the same number that was reported in 1970 and 1990.
Geography
Green Lake is about 13 miles (20.9 km) in circumference and about 2 miles (3.2 km) wide. It is oval-shaped from west to east with a large circular protuberance stretching to the south. The western shore is generally linear, slanted to the southeast until it reaches the West Point peninsula halfway through. Below this point forms the western shore of the circular extension. The shore circles along to the bay's southwest, and forms a point midway on the southern bank of the original oval. The southern shore continues eastward, until reaching the southeastern extreme, from here the shore circles back to the north, forming the eastern shore. When it reaches the northernmost point, the shore continues on an almost straight southwestern path, until meeting the western shore at near right angle.The water level is shallow near the shoreline, but begins to fall to a maximum depth, a hundred feet from the shore. At this point the bottom is generally flat and averages about 4 feet (1.2 m) in depth. The nearby Guadalupe River frequently floods the plain, and is the main source of fresh water renewal. The shoreline is naturally grassy and poorly drained with coastal marshes between the lake and San Antonio Bay. To improve drainage, a levee was constructed, separating the lake from the Victoria Barge Canal built in 1967, which runs along the bay's northern and eastern shore, and cuts off several bayous from entering the lake. The canal begins north at an industrial plant outside Victoria and empties in San Antonio Bay, in Seadrift. The Hog Bayou runs along the western shore of Green Lake, through the Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area to the south, before its confluence with Mission Lake. The nearest community is the rural settlement of Green Lake, whose residents use the lake for fishing, hunting waterfowl and water sports. The town of Tivoli
Tivoli, Texas
Tivoli is an unincorporated community in Refugio County, Texas, United States. It takes its name from the town of Tivoli in the Lazio region of central Italy.The Austwell-Tivoli Independent School District serves area students.-External links:...
is 4 miles (6.4 km) to the southwest.
Flora and fauna
In the area around Green Lake there are forests of pecanPecan
The pecan , Carya illinoinensis, is a species of hickory, native to south-central North America, in Mexico from Coahuila south to Jalisco and Veracruz, in the United States from southern Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana east to western Kentucky, southwestern Ohio, North Carolina, South...
, black willow
Black Willow
Salix nigra is a species of willow native to eastern North America, from New Brunswick and southern Ontario west to Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and Texas.-Description:...
, cedar
Cedar wood
Cedar wood comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world, and may have different uses.* California incense-cedar, from Calocedrus decurrens, is the primary type of wood used for making pencils...
, American elm
American Elm
Ulmus americana, generally known as the American Elm or, less commonly, as the White Elm or Water Elm, is a species native to eastern North America, occurring from Nova Scotia west to Alberta and Montana, and south to Florida and central Texas. The American elm is an extremely hardy tree that can...
, hackberry and green ash
Green Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica is a species of ash native to eastern and central North America, from Nova Scotia west to southeastern Alberta and eastern Colorado, south to northern Florida, and southwest to eastern Texas....
. To the south, the Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area serves as a wetland habitat for thousands of permanent egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s, and other birds, including the endangered Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican
The Brown Pelican is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is in length, weighs from and has a wingspan from .-Range and habits:...
, Reddish Egret
Reddish Egret
The Reddish Egret is a small heron. It is a resident breeder in Central America, The Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Gulf Coast of the United States, and Mexico. There is post-breeding dispersal to well north of the nesting range...
, White-faced Ibis
White-faced Ibis
The White-faced Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.This species breeds colonially in marshes, usually nesting in bushes or low trees. Its breeding range extends from the western USA south through Mexico, as well as from southeastern Brazil and southeastern Bolivia south to...
, Wood Stork
Wood Stork
The Wood Stork is a large American wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was formerly called the "Wood Ibis", though it is not really an ibis.-Appearance:...
, Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, White-tailed Hawk
White-tailed Hawk
The White-tailed Hawk is a large bird of prey species found in tropical or subtropical environments across the Americas.-Description:...
, Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, and the Whooping Crane
Whooping Crane
The whooping crane , the tallest North American bird, is an endangered crane species named for its whooping sound. Along with the Sandhill Crane, it is one of only two crane species found in North America. The whooping crane's lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild...
. American Alligator
American Alligator
The American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
s reside in the area as well.
Redfish
Redfish
Redfish is a common name for several species of fish. It is most commonly applied to members of the deep-sea genus Sebastes, or the reef dwelling snappers, Lutjanus. It is also applied to the slimeheads or roughies , and the alfonsinos ....
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
were once the main species of fish living in the lake, until the construction of an embankment reduced their populations. A large quantity of silt is now deposited in the lake from the Guadalupe River, after the dredging of a freshwater channel that supplies farmers and the Union Carbide
Union Carbide
Union Carbide Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. It currently employs more than 2,400 people. Union Carbide primarily produces chemicals and polymers that undergo one or more further conversions by customers before reaching consumers. Some are high-volume...
plant in Seadrift
Seadrift, Texas
Seadrift is a city in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,352 at the 2000 census. It is a part of the Victoria, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. The channel has negatively affected the delta ecosystem by diminishing the river's nutritional input.
In popular culture
Green Lake, Texas is the setting for Louis SacharLouis Sachar
Louis Sachar is an American author of children's books who is best known for the Sideways Stories From Wayside School book series and the 1998 novel Holes, for which Sachar won a National Book Award and the Newbery Medal...
's 1998 novel Holes
Holes (novel)
Holes is a Newbery Medal-winning novel by Louis Sachar. It was adapted into a screenplay for the 2003 film by Walt Disney Pictures. In 2006, Sachar published Small Steps, a companion novel featuring one of the characters from Holes.-Plot:...
, and the 2003 film adaptation
Holes (film)
Holes is a 2003 film based on the novel of the same name by Louis Sachar, who also wrote the screenplay, with Shia LaBeouf as the lead role of Stanley Yelnats...
. It is described as a dry lake that had once been the largest in the state, surrounded by an affluent community. After a long drought, the lake dried up and the area became a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. Juvenile delinquents were sent to Camp Green Lake to dig holes in the lakebed as punishment.