Lake Meredith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Meredith |
|
|---|---|
Lake Meredith in November 2009
|
|
 Lake Meredith
Location in Texas
Lake Meredith
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Hutchinson / Moore / Potter counties, Texas Panhandle, Texas, US |
| Coordinates | 35°42′51″N 101°33′11″W / 35.71417°N 101.55306°W |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Canadian River |
| Primary outflows | Canadian River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Water volume | 779,556 acre⋅ft (961,568,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | Pool 2,936.50 ft (895.05 m) |
Lake Meredith is a large man-made lake, also called a reservoir. It was created by building the Sanford Dam on the Canadian River in Sanford, Texas. This lake is about 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Amarillo, Texas, located in the Texas Panhandle.
Historically, Lake Meredith was a very important source of drinking water for cities like Amarillo and Lubbock, Texas. Many other towns in between and nearby also relied on its water.
Contents
About Lake Meredith's Water Levels
The Sanford Dam was built between 1962 and 1965. In 2003, the group managing the water announced they would send less water to cities. This was because of a long drought and the lake's water level dropping.
By 2008, the lake reached very low levels. Most of the water for cities then came from wells in Roberts County. In 2011, people stopped taking water from Lake Meredith completely for a while.
The lake hit its lowest point ever on August 7, 2013, at only 26.14 feet (7.97 m) deep. Its highest recorded depth was in April 1973, when it was 101.85 ft deep. By October 2017, the lake was 73.12 ft deep. As of June 17, 2019, it was 77.03 ft deep.
A Plane Found in the Lake
On June 1, 2008, the remains of a small Beechcraft Skipper airplane were found in the lake. The water level had dropped so much that the plane became visible. This plane had been missing since January 27, 1984. It was on a two-hour flight with the pilot, Steven Lampe, and Larry Lucas, both from Amarillo, Texas. No one had seen the crash happen.
The Lake's History and People
Much of the credit for creating Lake Meredith goes to Grady Hazlewood. He was a State Senator from Amarillo. He worked hard to make the lake a reality.
Fun Activities at Lake Meredith
Lake Meredith is now a National Recreation Area. This means it's a popular spot for many fun outdoor activities. People enjoy camping, fishing, and all kinds of water sports here.
Water Sports and Boating
The lake has a long, narrow shape with many coves. This makes it great for power boat sports like water skiing, tubing, and wakeboarding. The coves are especially popular because they offer protection from the wind. Strong winds can make the open lake waters too choppy for these activities.
Boat ramps are available at several locations around the lake. These include Sanford Yake, Cedar Canyon, Fritch Fortress, Harbor Bay, and Blue West. All these ramps were open as of June 17, 2019.
Camping and Beaches
You can go camping at several sites around Lake Meredith. There are also five beach areas. One of these beaches can only be reached by boat.
Fishing at the Lake
Anglers, or people who fish, can find many types of fish in Lake Meredith. Popular fish include sand bass and walleye. You might also catch crappie, perch, carp, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass.
Lake Recovery
The drought from 2011 to 2013 greatly affected the lake's water level. It also impacted the local economy of Fritch, Texas. However, Lake Meredith has been recovering well since 2014. This is thanks to several years of good rainfall. The lake's water level has risen over fifty feet since its lowest point in August 2013.
