Lake Gonzales

Lake Gonzales is a reservoir on the Guadalupe River 4 miles (6 km) southeast of the town of Belmont in Gonzales County, Texas. The reservoir was formed in 1931 by the construction of a dam to provide hydroelectric power to the area. Management of the dam and lake was assumed by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority on May 1, 1963.

Lake Gonzales
Location of Lake Gonzales in Texas, USA.
Location of Lake Gonzales in Texas, USA.
Lake Gonzales
Location of Lake Gonzales in Texas, USA.
Location of Lake Gonzales in Texas, USA.
Lake Gonzales
LocationGonzales County, Texas
Coordinates29°30.08′N 97°37.90′W
TypeHydroelectric reservoir
Primary inflowsGuadalupe River
Primary outflowsGuadalupe River
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area696 acres (282 ha)
Water volume7,500 acre⋅ft (9,300,000 m3)
Surface elevation333 ft (101 m)

Lake Gonzales is also known locally as H-4 Reservoir or Guadalupe Reservoir H-4.

On August 3, 2021, the hydroelectric dam at Lake Gonzales in Gonzales County experienced a spillgate failure during normal operation. As a result, the lake lost 12 feet of water, leaving what were formerly waterfront homes and lakeside docks dry.

It remains unknown how the dam might be repaired, or if it can be repaired.[1]

Until the spillway failure, Lake Gonzales was maintained at a constant level year round, and provided a popular destination for outdoor recreation, including fishing, boating, swimming, camping and picnicking.

Fish and plant life

Lake Gonzales has been stocked with species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish present in Lake Gonzales include catfish, white crappie, sunfish, sunfish, and largemouth bass. Vegetation in the lake includes cattail, pondweed, American lotus, spatterdock, rushes, water hyacinth, water lettuce, and hydrilla. The water hyacinth, lettuce and hydrilla are invasive species that have caused problems previously, although nowadays the issues are minimal.[2]

Recreational uses

Although there are no public parks on the shore of Lake Gonzales, a public access boat ramp is accessible from U.S. Highway 90A.

References
  1. "Lake Gonzales Experiences Spillgate Failure". Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
  2. "Fishing Lake Gonzales". tpwd.texas.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-04.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.