Brantley Lake State Park is a
state park of
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
, United States, located approximately north of
Carlsbad.
The park takes its name from
Brantley Lake, a man-made
reservoir
A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation.
Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...
created when
Brantley Dam was built across the
Pecos River in the 1980s. The lake is the southernmost lake in New Mexico, and it is popular for boating and fishing. It has a surface area of approximately , but that varies due to the inconsistent flow of the Pecos River and the arid climate in which the lake is located.
The lake is stocked with
bass,
white bass
The white bass, silver bass, or sand bass (''Morone chrysops'') is a freshwater fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae. commonly around 12-15 inches long. The species' main color is silver-white to pale green. Its back is dark, with white ...
,
walleye
The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the yellow pike or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern United States. It is a North American close relat ...
,
catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...
,
bluegill,
carp, and
crappie, however officials have recently detected high levels of
DDT
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, commonly known as DDT, is a colorless, tasteless, and almost odorless crystalline chemical compound, an organochloride. Originally developed as an insecticide, it became infamous for its environmental impacts. ...
in the fish and the State Parks Department is recommending that the fish not be eaten.
The park has 51 developed campsites with electricity, shower facilities, a playground, a visitor center, and other amenities.
References
External links
Brantley Lake State Park
{{authority control
State parks of New Mexico
Parks in Eddy County, New Mexico
Protected areas established in 1989