De Cordova Bend Dam facts for kids
The De Cordova Bend Dam is a large structure built by people on the Brazos River in Hood County, Texas, United States. It is managed by the Brazos River Authority, which is an organization that looks after water resources in the Brazos River basin. This dam helps create a big lake called Lake Granbury, which covers about 8,300 acres (33.6 square kilometers). The dam gets its name from a unique, almost complete loop in the Brazos River, which was named after an early settler, Jacob De Cordova.
The De Cordova Bend Dam is one of only three dams built along the entire Brazos River.
Where is the De Cordova Bend Dam Located?
The dam is located at coordinates 32°22′26″N 97°41′15″W / 32.37393°N 97.68753°W. This spot is southeast of the city of Granbury, Texas. You can reach the dam by car using Rainey Court, which actually crosses over the dam itself.
How Was the Dam Built?
Plans for creating a lake in this area first started in the late 1950s. Construction on the De Cordova Bend Dam began on December 15, 1966. The company responsible for building it was the H. B. Zachry Company. Water started to fill up behind the dam, creating Lake Granbury, on September 15, 1969.
The idea of building the De Cordova Bend Dam in the mid-1950s also inspired a famous book. This book, called Goodbye to a River, was written by John Graves. It explores the Brazos River before the dam changed the landscape.
