Choke Canyon Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Choke Canyon Reservoir |
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Alligator At Choke Canyon
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 Choke Canyon Reservoir
Location in Texas
Choke Canyon Reservoir
Location in the United States
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area map
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| Location | Live Oak / McMullen counties, Texas, United States |
| Coordinates | 28°30.00′N 98°21.00′W / 28.50000°N 98.35000°W |
| Type | Water supply reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Frio River |
| Primary outflows | Frio River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 25,670 acres (10,390 ha) |
| Max. depth | 95.5 ft (29.1 m) |
| Water volume | 695,000 acre⋅ft (857,000,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 220.5 ft (67.2 m) |
Choke Canyon Reservoir is a large reservoir (a man-made lake) in South Texas, United States. It was created by building a dam across the Frio River. The lake and its dam are owned by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, a government agency. The City of Corpus Christi helps manage the reservoir.
Where is Choke Canyon Reservoir?
Choke Canyon Reservoir is about 4 miles (6 km) west of a town called Three Rivers. It's also about 65 miles (105 km) south of the big city of San Antonio. The reservoir holds water from the Frio River. This river flows into the Nueces River nearby.
The lake covers a huge area of 25,670 acres (about 104 square kilometers). That's like more than 19,000 football fields! It holds a lot of water, more than 695,000 acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover one acre of land with water one foot deep.
What is Choke Canyon Reservoir Used For?
Choke Canyon Reservoir is very important because it provides drinking water for the city of Corpus Christi.
It's also a great place for outdoor fun! Many people enjoy fishing here. You can catch different types of fish, especially largemouth bass and catfish.
There's also a place called Choke Canyon State Park. It's located on the south side of the lake in two different spots. The park gives people easy access to the lake. It also offers many other fun activities like camping, hiking, and wildlife watching.
Animals and Plants of the Lake
To make fishing even better, different kinds of fish have been added to Choke Canyon Reservoir. Some of the fish you might find here include:
The lake is also home to various water plants. These include:
Choke Canyon Reservoir is also special because it's the westernmost place where you can find the American Alligator. This means it's one of the farthest west spots where these amazing reptiles live.
In December 2020, a very rare bird called a Spotted Rail was seen at the reservoir. This was a big deal for birdwatchers! Hundreds of people came to see it. It was only the third time this type of bird had ever been seen in Texas, and the fourth time in the entire United States.
