White Rock Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Rock Lake |
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 White Rock Lake
Location in Texas
White Rock Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Coordinates | 32°48′54″N 96°43′31″W / 32.81500°N 96.72528°W |
| Type | reservoir, recreation |
| Primary inflows | White Rock Creek |
| Primary outflows | White Rock Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 1,254 acres (507 ha) |
| Max. depth | 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m) |
| Water volume | 18,160 acre⋅ft (0.02240 km3) |
| Surface elevation | 458.1 ft (139.6 m) |
| Settlements | Dallas |
White Rock Lake is a large lake in Dallas, Texas, United States. It's a special type of lake called a reservoir, which means it was built to store water. The lake was created by building a dam across White Rock Creek.
Today, White Rock Creek flows into the lake, then continues out of a spillway and into the Trinity River. The lake covers about 1,254 acres (5.07 square kilometers) in the eastern part of Dallas. It's a popular spot for fun outdoor activities!
Contents
History: How White Rock Lake Was Made
Before White Rock Lake existed, the land was home to farms owned by families like the Daniels and Coxes. The Daniel family settled in the area in the late 1830s or early 1840s. Later, the Cox family moved to land next to them. These families shared a cemetery, which is still there today.
Dallas needed more water, so construction on White Rock Lake began in 1910. The lake was finished in 1911. After that, more homes were built around the lake. In the 1930s, the Dallas Park Board, with help from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), started turning the lake's shores into a park.
The CCC set up a camp at Winfrey Point. The men of the CCC worked hard to make the lake deeper and wider. They also built many limestone buildings and improved the park for everyone to enjoy.
During World War II, the CCC camp was used by the U.S. Army. In 1943, it even housed German prisoners of war.
As Dallas grew, the demand for water increased. To keep the water supply clean, swimming was stopped in White Rock Lake on September 1, 1952.
By 1992, White Rock Lake Park had become a busy place for recreation. It offered picnic spots and paths for biking and jogging. Today, the old Daniel-Cox family cemetery is all that remains of the original farms.
White Rock Dam: Holding Back the Water
The White Rock Dam was finished in 1911. It's an earthen dam, meaning it's made of compacted earth. The dam is 47 feet (14 meters) tall and 2,550 feet (777 meters) long at the top. Its main jobs are to control storm water and supply water to the city.
The dam can hold a lot of water, about 39,400 acre-feet (48.6 million cubic meters). The City of Dallas owns and manages this important structure.
Recreation: Fun on the Lake
Even though White Rock Lake isn't mainly used for drinking water anymore, it's still a favorite spot for fun. In the past, people even built cabins along its shores for getaways.
Today, White Rock Lake offers many activities. It's especially known for rowing. There's a historic boathouse where rowers of all ages launch their boats almost every day. Sometimes, there are races that people watch from sailboats or from around the lake.
Swimming was stopped in 1952, and motorized boats were banned in 1958. Now, you can enjoy sailing, kayaking, canoeing, and standup paddleboarding. You can even rent equipment for these activities.
The lake is surrounded by White Rock Lake Park. This park has a 9.33-mile (15.02 km) trail perfect for hiking, running, and bicycling. You can also visit the Bath House Cultural Center and the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. There are several spots for fishing, and sailing is very popular.
The Bath House used to be a boathouse for rowing teams. The White Rock Boathouse, started in 1930, first housed motorboats. Later, it was changed to hold sculling boats. It even took over parts of an old water purification plant, making it one of the largest boathouses in the world!
Sailing: Catch the Wind!
The Corinthian Sailing Club began in 1939. Its goal is to promote sailing and sailboat racing in Dallas. The club holds races on Saturdays, Sundays, and even "fun" races on Wednesday evenings. They also host several big racing events throughout the year.
The club is known across the country for its great sailors and well-organized races. Located right on White Rock Lake, the Corinthian Sailing Club also has social events, teaches adults how to sail, and has a program for young sailors.
Another club, the White Rock Boat Club, started in 1961. It was created to provide reasonably priced places to store boats. Today, the club is still active on the lake.
White Rock Lake is also where the Southern Methodist University Sailing Club practices.
White Rock Marathon: A Race Around the Lake
Many events happen at White Rock Lake, including the famous White Rock Marathon. Part of the race course goes all the way around the lake. This marathon is considered one of the top 10 marathons in the United States. It's also a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. The marathon helps raise money for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
Flora: Plants and Trees
White Rock Lake Park is home to many different plants. You can find dozens of types of trees and over 100 kinds of grasses and other plants. It's a beautiful spot in the Dallas Park System, visited by more than a million people each year.
The park has an ecosystem with grasses, trees, and flowers that naturally grow in North Texas. You'll see black prairie grasses and other plants like Queen Anne's Lace.
Wildflowers are planted in areas where the grass isn't mowed. They bloom in late spring, creating colorful displays, especially near the East Lawther Trail and Mockingbird Lane.
Fauna: Animals and Wildlife
Dozens of bird species live at White Rock Lake. The waterfront is a perfect home for both small and large water birds, such as herons, egrets, geese, ducks, and pelicans. You can also spot woodland birds like owls, hawks, and even eagles.
Sometimes, you might see monk parakeets. These birds, originally from South America, build nests in nearby power stations and eat from trees along the trail. No one is quite sure how they first came to live in the area!
The land animals at White Rock Lake are also doing well. You can find small creatures like squirrels and beavers. Larger animals include white-tailed deer, raccoons, red foxes, bobcats, wild boars, river otters, minks, nutrias, opossums, skunks, and coyotes. Many of these animals can be seen near the Old Fish Hatchery.
The lake itself is full of fish! You can find catfish, sunfish, crappie, carp, gar, and bass. Largemouth bass often hang out around underwater structures, reed beds, and the mouths of creeks.
Folklore: The Lady of White Rock Lake
Dallas has a famous urban legend about the Lady of White Rock Lake. People say the ghost of a young woman, who looks about twenty years old, haunts White Rock Lake Park. She is described as wearing a wet 1930s evening dress.
Witnesses claim she often appears at night along East Lawther Drive. The phantom asks for a ride to her home on Gaston Avenue in Dallas. But then, she mysteriously disappears from the car during the ride, leaving behind a wet car seat. The legend says she was a drowning victim from a boating accident in the 1930s. Stories about these ghostly meetings were printed in Dallas newspapers in the 1960s.
This legend is said to have inspired the bluegrass song Bringing Mary Home. The song was written by John Duffey and became popular in 1965. Many other artists have recorded it since then. The legend also inspired a special beer from Lakewood Brewing Company called La Dame du Lac.
The lake was also shown on a map at the beginning of the TV show Cheaters.
Images for kids
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The northeastern shore of the lake, with marina
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