Possum Kingdom Lake
Encyclopedia
'Possum Kingdom Lake is a reservoir on the Brazos River located primarily in Palo Pinto County Texas
. It was the first water supply reservoir constructed in the Brazos River basin. The lake has an area of approximately 17000 acres (68.8 km²) with 310 miles (498.9 km) of shoreline. It holds 750000 acre.ft of water with 550000 acre.ft available for water supply.
The lake is impounded by the Morris Sheppard Dam which was a project of the Brazos River Authority
and the Works Progress Administration
. Construction was begun in 1938 and completed in 1941. The dam is 2700 feet (823 m) long and 190 feet (57.9 m) high. The construction is unique with buttressed arched wings on either side of the nine spillway
gates rather than the usual filled concrete. It has two 11,250 kilowatt generators which are used during peak demand periods. Morris Sheppard was in 1938 one of Texas’ United States Senators. The dam was named for him in honor of his efforts in obtaining funding for the project.
The lake is located where the Brazos River cuts through the Palo Pinto Hills. The canyon thus formed provided a favorable site for impoundment of the reservoir and accounts for the unusual depth of the lake and the resulting clarity of the water.
The valley of the Brazos at this location was named Possum Kingdom by Ike Sablosky in the first decade of the 20th century. Sablosky was a businessman, a Russian Jewish immigrant who came to America at the age of 13. He arrived in Mineral Wells, Texas
from Indianapolis in 1905. Sablosky was suffering from stomach trouble and believed he was dying. Mineral Wells was then nationally famous as a health spa and Sablosky offered an employee of one of the spa hotels ten cents a day for ten days to be allowed to drink all of the mineral water he wanted. The employee accepted and Sablosky claimed that within ten days his stomach problems were cured.
Sablosky then went into the fur and hide business, dealing in, among other things, possum pelts. His best suppliers of these hunted in the canyon of the Brazos and Sablosky began greeting them by saying, “Here are the boys from the Possum Kingdom.” Sablosky went on to be a prominent businessman in Dallas. Before his death he left millions of dollars to charity.
The lake is home to the famous Hell's Gate, a sheer break in the cliffs around the lake. It is mentioned in the popular 1990s song "Possum Kingdom
" by The Toadies.
The lake is home to Possum Kingdom State Park
, a 1,530 acre state park governed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
The Possum Kingdom Lake area suffered major wildfires in 2011 during a severe drought, first in April and again in August-September. (see external link)
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...
. It was the first water supply reservoir constructed in the Brazos River basin. The lake has an area of approximately 17000 acres (68.8 km²) with 310 miles (498.9 km) of shoreline. It holds 750000 acre.ft of water with 550000 acre.ft available for water supply.
The lake is impounded by the Morris Sheppard Dam which was a project of the Brazos River Authority
Brazos River Authority
The Brazos River Authority or BRA was created in 1929 by the Texas Legislature as a quasi-governmental entity to manage the Brazos River as a water resource in Texas. It was originally named the Brazos River Conservation and Reclamation District and renamed to the current name in 1953...
and the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
. Construction was begun in 1938 and completed in 1941. The dam is 2700 feet (823 m) long and 190 feet (57.9 m) high. The construction is unique with buttressed arched wings on either side of the nine spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
gates rather than the usual filled concrete. It has two 11,250 kilowatt generators which are used during peak demand periods. Morris Sheppard was in 1938 one of Texas’ United States Senators. The dam was named for him in honor of his efforts in obtaining funding for the project.
The lake is located where the Brazos River cuts through the Palo Pinto Hills. The canyon thus formed provided a favorable site for impoundment of the reservoir and accounts for the unusual depth of the lake and the resulting clarity of the water.
The valley of the Brazos at this location was named Possum Kingdom by Ike Sablosky in the first decade of the 20th century. Sablosky was a businessman, a Russian Jewish immigrant who came to America at the age of 13. He arrived in Mineral Wells, Texas
Mineral Wells, Texas
Mineral Wells is a city in Palo Pinto and Parker counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,946 at the 2000 census. The city is named for mineral springs in the area, which were highly popular in the early 1900s...
from Indianapolis in 1905. Sablosky was suffering from stomach trouble and believed he was dying. Mineral Wells was then nationally famous as a health spa and Sablosky offered an employee of one of the spa hotels ten cents a day for ten days to be allowed to drink all of the mineral water he wanted. The employee accepted and Sablosky claimed that within ten days his stomach problems were cured.
Sablosky then went into the fur and hide business, dealing in, among other things, possum pelts. His best suppliers of these hunted in the canyon of the Brazos and Sablosky began greeting them by saying, “Here are the boys from the Possum Kingdom.” Sablosky went on to be a prominent businessman in Dallas. Before his death he left millions of dollars to charity.
The lake is home to the famous Hell's Gate, a sheer break in the cliffs around the lake. It is mentioned in the popular 1990s song "Possum Kingdom
Possum Kingdom
"Possum Kingdom" is a song by rock band Toadies released as the second single from their 1994 album, Rubberneck.The song's origins lie in folklore from the band's native state of Texas...
" by The Toadies.
The lake is home to Possum Kingdom State Park
Possum Kingdom State Park
Possum Kingdom State Park is a state park in Palo Pinto County, Texas, that was built in the 1940s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. It covers approximately , and lies in the Palo Pinto Mountains and Brazos River Valley of Texas. The park borders the large Possum Kingdom Lake, a lake known for...
, a 1,530 acre state park governed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas...
The Possum Kingdom Lake area suffered major wildfires in 2011 during a severe drought, first in April and again in August-September. (see external link)