Canyon Lake (Texas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canyon Lake |
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Aerial view of Canyon Lake and Dam
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 Canyon Lake
Location in Texas
Canyon Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Texas Hill Country, Comal County, Texas, US |
| Coordinates | 29°52′53″N 98°14′24″W / 29.88139°N 98.24000°W |
| Type | Flood control reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Guadalupe River |
| Primary outflows | Guadalupe River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 8,230 acres (33.3 km2) |
| Max. depth | 134 ft (41 m) |
| Water volume | 382,000 acre⋅ft (0.471 km3) |
| Shore length1 | 80 mi (130 km) |
| Surface elevation | 909 ft (277 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Canyon Lake is a large, man-made lake in the Texas Hill Country, United States. It's a reservoir built on the Guadalupe River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages this lake. They built Canyon Dam to create the lake. This dam is located about 16 miles northwest of New Braunfels.
The main goals for Canyon Lake are to control floods and save water. It also offers a lot of fun activities for people to enjoy. Construction of the dam started in 1958 and finished in 1964.
Contents
Where is Canyon Lake?
Canyon Lake is in northern Comal County, Texas. It's on the edge of the San Antonio-New Braunfels area. The lake is about 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Downtown San Antonio. It's also about 40 miles (64 km) southwest of Austin.
Small towns near the lake include Canyon City, Cranes Mill, and Startzville. These are all part of the census-designated place called Canyon Lake, Texas. Larger cities nearby are New Braunfels and San Marcos.
How Canyon Lake Was Made
Building Canyon Dam started in 1958. The main reasons were to help control floods and to store water. The lake began to fill with water in 1964. By 1968, it had reached its normal water level.
Keeping Areas Safe from Floods
Canyon Dam helps protect a large area of land downstream from floods. This area covers almost 250 square miles (647 km²). The upper part of the Guadalupe River can carry a lot of water. But the lower part of the river cannot carry as much. This difference often caused serious floods in the past. For example, a big flood hit New Braunfels in 1972.
Canyon Dam has successfully prevented major floods many times. It protected areas in 1978, 1987, 1991, 1992, and 1998. In July 2002, there was a record flood. The water flowed over the dam's spillway by more than seven feet (2 m). This caused a lot of damage below the dam.
During the 2002 flood, the water flow was huge. It was about 70,000 cubic feet per second. This means about 3.5 times the lake's normal water amount flowed over the spillway. The powerful water washed away soil below the spillway. This created what is now known as the Canyon Lake Gorge. Water kept flowing over the spillway for six weeks!
Saving Water for Everyone
The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) manages the water stored in Canyon Lake. This water is used for several important things. It helps run small hydroelectric power plants downstream. These plants make electricity using water power.
The water is also used for city water supplies. Farmers use it for irrigation, and industries use it too. The GBRA built a hydroelectric facility at Canyon Dam. It started working in February 1989.
Fun Things to Do at Canyon Lake
Canyon Lake is a popular spot for outdoor activities. The Corps of Engineers has created and takes care of eight park areas around the lake. These parks are great for:
- Camping
- Swimming
- Boating
- Picnicking
You can also fish from the banks in all park areas. There's a special fishing dock at Cranes Mill Park. Comal County provides several public boat ramps to get your boat into the lake. There are also trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. You can even find professional fishing guides.
Accessing Canyon Lake
The GPS coordinates for Canyon Lake don't lead to a public access point. You can only get to the lake through one of the parks, marinas, or boat ramps. Most of the land around the lake is privately owned. So, you can't just walk to the lake through private property.
For more information and maps, you can visit these websites:
- Texas Parks and Wildlife
- Canyon Lake Guide
- USACE Canyon Lake
There are public parks on the lake's shores where you can swim, fish, and boat. The lake also has two marinas. These marinas rent out boats and jet skis. There are public boat ramps that are free to use. Some private boat ramps at marinas or parks might charge a fee. Remember, you can't fish or swim at any of the boat ramps.
Managing Lake Water Levels
The GBRA has plans to sell water from Canyon Lake. This water would help supply the growing cities of San Antonio and Austin. Some people are concerned that this might cause the lake's water level to drop too low. This could lead to problems like erosion or affect the lake's natural beauty. People are working together to make sure Canyon Lake's water is managed well for everyone.
- Canyon Lake from the Handbook of Texas Online
