Mansfield Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mansfield Dam |
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Mansfield Dam in November of 2018
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| Official name | Mansfield Dam |
| Location | Travis County, Texas, USA |
| Coordinates | 30°23′32″N 97°54′26″W / 30.39222°N 97.90722°W |
| Construction began | 1937 |
| Opening date | 1941 |
| Operator(s) | Lower Colorado River Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Colorado River |
| Height | 278 feet (85 m) |
| Length | 7,089 feet (2,161 m) |
| Width (base) | 213 feet (65 m) |
| Spillway type | 24 controlled (paradox and jet-flow gates) |
| Spillway capacity | 130,000 cu ft/s (3,700 m3/s) (23 floodgates at 5,250 cfs; 1 variable discharge gate at 2,285 cfs 2 turbines at 4,100 cfs, 1 turbine at 2,400 cfs) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Travis |
| Power station | |
| Installed capacity | 108 MW |
The Mansfield Dam is a large dam built across a canyon on the Colorado River. It is located about 13 miles (21 km) northwest of Austin, Texas.
Work on the dam began on February 19, 1937. A special ceremony was held with Harold L. Ickes, who was the United States Secretary of the Interior at the time. The dam was a team effort between the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and the United States Bureau of Reclamation. They also received money from the Public Works Administration.
The dam was finished in 1941. It was first called Marshall Ford Dam. Later that year, its name was changed to honor Joseph J. Mansfield, a U.S. Representative. The big lake created by the dam is called Lake Travis. The LCRA still owns and operates the dam today.
Contents
What is Mansfield Dam?
Dam Size and Structure
Mansfield Dam is very large. It stands 278 feet (85 meters) high and stretches 7,089 feet (2.16 km) long. At its base, the dam is 213 feet (65 meters) thick. It is a type of dam called a concrete gravity dam. It also has earth-filled parts and smaller walls called dikes on its sides.
How the Dam Helps
The dam was built for several important reasons. Its main job is to control flooding. It also stores a huge amount of water, about 369 billion US gallons (1.4 cubic kilometers). Another key purpose is to create electricity from water power. It can produce 108 megawatts of power.
The dam has special gates that open when the water level in Lake Travis gets too high. These gates start to open when the water reaches 681 feet (208 meters) above sea level. This helps to release water safely and prevent floods.
Traveling Across the Dam
A two-lane road, RM 620, used to go over the top of the dam. However, as Austin grew and Lake Travis became more popular for fun activities, traffic became a big problem. Because of this, a new four-lane bridge was built downstream from the dam. Now, RM 620 uses this new bridge. Only service vehicles are allowed to drive on the road directly over the dam.
Political Connection to Mansfield Dam
Lyndon B. Johnson's Early Career
Lyndon B. Johnson, who later became a U.S. President, started his political journey by running for the U.S. House of Representatives. The Mansfield Dam was located in his district. The companies that built the dam supported his campaign.
After he was elected, Johnson worked hard to get money and approvals for the dam project. His success in helping the dam get built was a very important step in his long political career. It showed he could get big projects done.
