Lake Tawakoni

Lake Tawakoni (/təˈwɑːkəni/ tə-WAH-kə-nee) is a 37,879-acre (15,329 ha) reservoir located in Northeast Texas, about 48 miles (77 km) east of Dallas. It lies within three Texas counties, Hunt, Rains, and Van Zandt. It is used for water supply and recreation. It is under the Sabine River Authority of Texas and the original headwaters of the Sabine are converged under the lake surface.

Lake Tawakoni
Sunset over Duck Cove
Location of Lake Tawakoni in Texas, USA
Location of Lake Tawakoni in Texas, USA
Lake Tawakoni
Location of Lake Tawakoni in Texas, USA
Location of Lake Tawakoni in Texas, USA
Lake Tawakoni
LocationHunt / Rains / Van Zandt Counties, Texas
Coordinates32°50′45″N 95°56′36″W
Typereservoir
Basin countriesUnited States
Managing agencySabine River Authority of Texas
First floodedOctober 1960 (1960-10)
Surface area37,879 acres (15,329 ha)
Water volume926,000 acre⋅ft (1.142×109 m3)
Shore length1200 mi (320 km)
Surface elevation437.5 ft (133.4 m)
References[1]
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Etymology

The lake was named for the Tawakoni Native American peoples, who were a larger part of the Caddo Nation. The Caddos inhabited a large swath of North and East Texas, including where the lake is located.

History

The reservoir was constructed in 1960 with the Iron Bridge Dam.[2] The area was chosen due to its location to the growing Dallas area and the growth east of the city and its respective suburbs. The South Fork, Cowleech Fork, and Caddo Forks that all formed the Sabine River headwaters are now submerged under the lake and the lake now serves as the headwaters of the Sabine. It covers 37,879 acres (15,329 ha) and has a storage capacity of 926,000 acre-feet (1.142×109 m3) at conservation pool level.[2] It is owned by the Sabine River Authority of Texas.

Flora and fauna

The lake has a diverse array of wildlife. It features deer, feral hogs, snakes, raccoons, bobcats, and over 200 species of birds. Sightings of the American alligator in certain areas of the lake have not been uncommon. The lake mainly has post oak hardwood timber and plants native to the Texas Blackland Prairies. In the summer of 2007, Lake Tawakoni State Park was the site of a large, rare spider web. The web stretched over a 200-yard path and attracted considerable attention from entomologists.[3]

References
  1. "Lake Tawakoni". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. 30 November 1979. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  2. "Iron Bridge Project". Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  3. Monster spider web spun in Texas at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
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