Buchanan Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buchanan Dam |
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Buchanan Dam showing multi-arch structure and a set of floodgates
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 Location of Buchanan Dam in Texas
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| Official name | Buchanan Dam |
| Location | Burnet / Llano counties, Texas, United States |
| Coordinates | 30°45′05″N 98°25′06″W / 30.7514°N 98.4183°W |
| Construction began | 1931 |
| Opening date | 1937 |
| Operator(s) | Lower Colorado River Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Colorado River |
| Height | 145.5 feet (44.3 m) |
| Length | 10,987.6 feet (3,349.0 m) |
| Width (base) | 215.1 feet (65.6 m) |
| Spillway type | 37 controlled, bulkhead-gates |
| Spillway capacity | 347,300 cu ft/s (9,830 m3/s) (7 floodgates at 18,800 cfs; 30 floodgates at 7,000 cfs, 3 turbines at 1,900 cfs) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Buchanan |
| Power station | |
| Turbines | 3 |
| Installed capacity | 54.9 MW |
The Buchanan Dam is a large dam built on the Colorado River in Texas. It is a special kind of dam called a multiple arch dam. This dam helps create Lake Buchanan, which is one of the "Highland Lakes" in Texas. The Buchanan Dam was the very first dam built in this chain of lakes. Its main jobs are to make electricity from water power and to help control floods. You can find it about 12 miles (19 km) west of Burnet, Texas.
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History of Buchanan Dam
Starting Construction in the 1930s
Building the Buchanan Dam began in 1931. A company owned by Samuel Insull started the project. However, construction stopped when the company faced financial problems. This happened during the Great Depression, a time when many businesses struggled.
Completing the Dam
In 1934, the Texas government created the Lower Colorado River Authority. This new group was given the job of finishing the dam. The dam was completed in 1937. It was then named after U.S. Representative James P. Buchanan. He helped get money from the government to build the dam. This funding came from a program called the Public Works Administration.
Moving a Town
Building the dam meant that the town of Bluffton, Texas had to move. The relocation started in 1931 and was finished by 1939. Years later, during a very dry period in 2011, the old town site of Bluffton could be seen again because the lake water level was so low.
Controlling Floods
After a big flood in 1938, some people worried that the dam wasn't stopping floods as promised. However, the Buchanan Dam was only the first of four dams planned to control floods. It was explained that the dams would work together to prevent flooding once they were all finished.
