Lewisville Lake
Encyclopedia
Lewisville Lake is a reservoir
located in North
Texas
(USA
) on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River
in Denton County
near Lewisville
. The lake is primarily used recreationally for boating and watercraft, however, it was built for flood control purposes and to serve as a water source for Dallas
and its suburbs.
In the 1940s, a need for increased water storage capacity and additional flood control became apparent. The United States Congress passed the River and Harbor Act of 1945 and called for additional construction in the Trinity River basin. The Corps began construction of a new lake in 1948 that would not only incorporate Lake Dallas, but also impound Hickory Creek to the West, and Stewart, Panther, Cottonwood, Doe Branch, and Little Elm Creeks to the East.
In 1951, members of the United States Army Corps of Engineers
stumbled upon an archaeological site near Lewisville Lake. In 1956, Wilson W. Crook, Jr. and R.K. Harris announced that Carbon-14
(14C) testing on artifacts from the site, including a Paleo-Indian Clovis
projectile point, indicated that humans had lived there c. 36,000 BP
. This led to much controversy in the archaeological community.
The 33000 feet (10,058.4 m) long Lewisville Dam was completed in 1955 at a cost of $21 million, and the old Garza Dam at Lake Dallas was breached in 1957 creating the new lake, known then as Garza-Little Elm Reservoir. This new lake had one hundred eighty-three miles of shoreline and a 436000 acre.ft capacity.
It was not until 1978 that the water levels of the lake would go down far enough to access the site once again. Between 1978 and 1980, Dennis Stanford
of the Smithsonian Institute performed a more thorough analysis of the site. He concluded that the original dating was probably due to a rare form of cross-contamination and that a date of c. 12,000 B.P. was probably more correct. Still, the site is considered one of the earliest inhabited by humans in the Southwestern United States
and Mexico
.
The breaching of the Garza Dam and incorporation of Lake Dallas into the Garza-Little Elm reservoir led to confusion concerning the lake's legal name. This was compounded by the Village of Garza renaming itself the City of Lake Dallas
. The federal government attempted to rename the lake as Lewisville Reservoir in 1960 only to reverse itself in 1961. The confusion persisted until the mid-1970s when the lake was officially designated Lewisville Lake.
The lake has many facilities for overnight camping and fishing—the black bass lake record was broken three times in 2006.
In 1991, the City of Denton installed a hydropower facility at Lewisville Dam. The single horizontal S-Shaped Kaplan unit is capable of producing 2893 kilowatts, and is connected to the grid via the Brazos River Distribution Authority.
, so during the summer months, the lake can become extremely crowded. For a number of years Lewisville Lake was ranked the most dangerous lake in Texas due to the number of accidents and fatalities which occurred. Most of the fatalities are from individuals enjoying the day at the many parks around the lake and going too far out in the water. The number of actual boating accidents on the lake is fairly low. Adding to the danger for boats and other recreational watercraft, the lake contains numerous shallow areas with exposed and submerged trunks and other water hazards. Other recreation around the lake also includes a few areas for public hunting of water fowl and feral hogs (archery
only).
On the lake, there are five marinas: Eagle Point Marina, Pier 121, Cottonwood Creek Marina, Dallas Cornthian Yacht Club, and Lakeview Marina, and two restaurant/bars.
The first large scale bass tournament was hosted at Lewisville Lake in 2005, The Bassmasters' Elite 50, Kevin VanDam
took home 1st place and a check for $100,000. He also caught, at the time, the lake record bass at 11 pounds (4.98951607 kg). The Woman's Bassmaster Tour's inaugural event was held in October 2005. The Tour returned in May 2006 and again in April 2008, with angler Kim Bain winning, taking home $51,000 in cash and prizes.
Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station
is a commuter rail stop on the DCTA A-train
. It connects downtown Denton
with DART
's Green Line
in Carrollton
.
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...
located in North
North Texas
North Texas is a distinct cultural and geographic area forming the central-northeastern section of the U.S. state of Texas. North Texas is generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco...
Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River
Trinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
in Denton County
Denton County, Texas
Denton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 432,976; in 2009 the estimated population had reached 628,300. Part of the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex, it is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. The county seat is Denton. The county...
near Lewisville
Lewisville, Texas
Lewisville is a city in Denton County in the U.S. state of Texas. The 2010 United States Census placed the population at 95,290 within . The city also includes of Lewisville Lake....
. The lake is primarily used recreationally for boating and watercraft, however, it was built for flood control purposes and to serve as a water source for Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
and its suburbs.
History
Lewisville Lake is the second lake to impound the waters of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River in this area. The first lake, Lake Dallas, was constructed in the 1920s by the W.E. Callahan construction Company for the City of Dallas at a cost of $3 million. The dam, completed in 1927, was built near the village of Garza and named the Garza Dam. This dam was 10890 feet (3,319.3 m) long with a 567 feet (172.8 m) long service spillway. Lake Dallas, with its 194000 acre.ft capacity and forty-three miles of shoreline, served as the principal municipal water source for the city of Dallas for 31 years.In the 1940s, a need for increased water storage capacity and additional flood control became apparent. The United States Congress passed the River and Harbor Act of 1945 and called for additional construction in the Trinity River basin. The Corps began construction of a new lake in 1948 that would not only incorporate Lake Dallas, but also impound Hickory Creek to the West, and Stewart, Panther, Cottonwood, Doe Branch, and Little Elm Creeks to the East.
In 1951, members of the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
stumbled upon an archaeological site near Lewisville Lake. In 1956, Wilson W. Crook, Jr. and R.K. Harris announced that Carbon-14
Carbon-14
Carbon-14, 14C, or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with a nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Its presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method pioneered by Willard Libby and colleagues , to date archaeological, geological, and hydrogeological...
(14C) testing on artifacts from the site, including a Paleo-Indian Clovis
Clovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
projectile point, indicated that humans had lived there c. 36,000 BP
Before Present
Before Present years is a time scale used in archaeology, geology, and other scientific disciplines to specify when events in the past occurred. Because the "present" time changes, standard practice is to use AD 1950 as the origin of the age scale, reflecting the fact that radiocarbon...
. This led to much controversy in the archaeological community.
The 33000 feet (10,058.4 m) long Lewisville Dam was completed in 1955 at a cost of $21 million, and the old Garza Dam at Lake Dallas was breached in 1957 creating the new lake, known then as Garza-Little Elm Reservoir. This new lake had one hundred eighty-three miles of shoreline and a 436000 acre.ft capacity.
It was not until 1978 that the water levels of the lake would go down far enough to access the site once again. Between 1978 and 1980, Dennis Stanford
Dennis Stanford
Dennis J. Stanford in Cherokee, Iowa is an archaeologist and Director of the Paleo-Indian Program at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution. Along with Prof...
of the Smithsonian Institute performed a more thorough analysis of the site. He concluded that the original dating was probably due to a rare form of cross-contamination and that a date of c. 12,000 B.P. was probably more correct. Still, the site is considered one of the earliest inhabited by humans in the Southwestern United States
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
The breaching of the Garza Dam and incorporation of Lake Dallas into the Garza-Little Elm reservoir led to confusion concerning the lake's legal name. This was compounded by the Village of Garza renaming itself the City of Lake Dallas
Lake Dallas, Texas
Lake Dallas is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,166 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lake Dallas is located at ....
. The federal government attempted to rename the lake as Lewisville Reservoir in 1960 only to reverse itself in 1961. The confusion persisted until the mid-1970s when the lake was officially designated Lewisville Lake.
About
It is generally murky with extremely low visibility. The water by the dam is clear with a visibility of 2 to 3 feet (~1 m).The lake has many facilities for overnight camping and fishing—the black bass lake record was broken three times in 2006.
In 1991, the City of Denton installed a hydropower facility at Lewisville Dam. The single horizontal S-Shaped Kaplan unit is capable of producing 2893 kilowatts, and is connected to the grid via the Brazos River Distribution Authority.
Statistics
- Shoreline length: 183 miles (295 km)
- Date impounded: 1954
- Conservation pool elevation: 522 feet (159 m) msl
- Flood pool elevation: 532 feet (162 m) msl
- Top of Dam elevation: 537 feet (163.7 m)
- Operated by: United States Army Corps of EngineersUnited States Army Corps of EngineersThe United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
Recreation
The lake is very close to a large population base in the Dallas/Fort Worth MetroplexDallas/Fort Worth Metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
, so during the summer months, the lake can become extremely crowded. For a number of years Lewisville Lake was ranked the most dangerous lake in Texas due to the number of accidents and fatalities which occurred. Most of the fatalities are from individuals enjoying the day at the many parks around the lake and going too far out in the water. The number of actual boating accidents on the lake is fairly low. Adding to the danger for boats and other recreational watercraft, the lake contains numerous shallow areas with exposed and submerged trunks and other water hazards. Other recreation around the lake also includes a few areas for public hunting of water fowl and feral hogs (archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
only).
On the lake, there are five marinas: Eagle Point Marina, Pier 121, Cottonwood Creek Marina, Dallas Cornthian Yacht Club, and Lakeview Marina, and two restaurant/bars.
The first large scale bass tournament was hosted at Lewisville Lake in 2005, The Bassmasters' Elite 50, Kevin VanDam
Kevin VanDam
Kevin VanDam , often called simply "KVD," is a professional bass fisherman from Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is the all-time money winner in professional bass fishing, having earned more than $5.6 million through August 2011...
took home 1st place and a check for $100,000. He also caught, at the time, the lake record bass at 11 pounds (4.98951607 kg). The Woman's Bassmaster Tour's inaugural event was held in October 2005. The Tour returned in May 2006 and again in April 2008, with angler Kim Bain winning, taking home $51,000 in cash and prizes.
Transportation
Six bridges currently cross the lake:- The main bridge is on Interstate 35EInterstate 35E (Texas)Interstate 35E , an Interstate Highway, is the eastern half of Interstate 35 where it splits to serve different cities in Texas. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E at Hillsboro. I-35E runs north for , maintaining I-35's sequence of exit numbers. It runs through Dallas before...
, which crosses the lake on its western finger and is a notorious traffic bottleneck during rush hour. - Another regularly used bridge is on the eastern finger of the Lake through Little Elm, connecting two halves of Farm to Market Road 720, locally known as Eldorado Parkway. It is the only two-lane bridge crossing the lake.
- US 380 crosses the extreme northern end, requiring a short bridge.
- The Lewisville Lake Toll BridgeLewisville Lake Toll BridgeThe Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge is a bridge crossing Lewisville Lake in Denton County, Texas, USA. The North Texas Tollway Authority worked cooperatively with Denton County to plan and design a toll bridge across the northwestern arm of Lewisville Lake. The new four-lane toll bridge connects...
, opened on August 1, 2009, is a NTTANorth Texas Tollway AuthorityThe North Texas Tollway Authority maintains and operates toll roads, bridges and tunnels in the North Texas area. Functioning as a political subdivision of the State of Texas under Chapter 366 of the Transportation Code, the NTTA is empowered to acquire, construct, maintain, repair and operate...
toll bridgeToll bridgeA toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
connecting Little ElmLittle Elm, TexasLittle Elm is a city in Denton County, Texas, United States and a part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The population was 3,646 at the 2000 census. By the 2010 census, the city total had jumped to 25,898...
via Eldorado Parkway and Interstate 35EInterstate 35E (Texas)Interstate 35E , an Interstate Highway, is the eastern half of Interstate 35 where it splits to serve different cities in Texas. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E at Hillsboro. I-35E runs north for , maintaining I-35's sequence of exit numbers. It runs through Dallas before...
near Swisher Road. It is located to the north of the original Garza Dam. - Two bridges, part of a northern extension of Farm to Market Road 2499, opened in 2011 and cross the lake's extreme western ends.
Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station
Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station
Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station is an A-train commuter rail station in Highland Village, Texas. It is east of Interstate-35E and serves commuters from Highland Village and the Lewisville Lake recreational area.-External links:**...
is a commuter rail stop on the DCTA A-train
A-train (Denton County Transportation Authority)
The A-train is a commuter rail line in Denton County, Texas, United States that parallels Interstate 35E and acts as an extension with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton. It is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority and serves Denton...
. It connects downtown Denton
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
with DART
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority is a transit agency based in Dallas, Texas . It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs...
's Green Line
Green Line (Dallas Area Rapid Transit)
The Green Line is a light rail line in Dallas, USA, operated by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority . The US$1.7 billion project opened in phases, starting in 2009...
in Carrollton
Carrollton, Texas
-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was 112°F in 1980.*The average coolest month is January.*The lowest recorded temperature was 1°F in 1989.*The most precipitation on average occurs in May....
.
