Bachman Lake is a small

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does incl ...

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

located in the Bachman Lake community of

northwest Dallas Northwest Dallas is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas, ( USA). Geography The area is bordered by I-635 to the North, Stemmons Freeway to the West, the Dallas North Tollway to the East and to the South it g ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

( USA). It covers and lies on the northwest boundary of

Dallas Love Field Dallas Love Field is a city-owned public airport northwest of downtown Dallas, Texas., effective April 10, 2008 It was Dallas' main airport until 1974 when Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened. Love Field covers an area of ...

in the

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

's landing path and the western boundary of the upscale Bluffview neighborhood. At the Western end of the lake,

DART Dart or DART may refer to: * Dart, the equipment in the game of darts Arts, entertainment and media * Dart (comics), an Image Comics superhero * Dart, a character from ''G.I. Joe'' * Dart, a ''Thomas & Friends'' railway engine character * Da ...

provides transit service at Bachman Station, including light rail service via the Green Line and Orange Line.

History & Development

Bachman Lake was originally constructed in 1903 by damming

Bachman Branch Bachman Branch (also Bachman Creek) is the name of a medium-sized tributary of the Trinity River with headwaters in northwest Dallas, Texas (USA). The tributary is in length and rises at Forest Lane, west of the Dallas North Tollway. It runs s ...

as a water source for Dallas, but it proved to be too small for the city's needs which led to the construction of White Rock Lake in 1911. Today, Dallas Water Utilities operates the Bachman Water Treatment Plant (WTP), which is the city's oldest operating water treatment plant still in operation. The area surrounding the lake is currently a hot bed of new construction. The Shops at Bluffview brought of upscale apartment, retail, restaurant and office development to the area in 2008. In 2019, Trinisc Residential completed the Aura at Bluffview, a 473-unit Class A apartment community on the lake's northeastern trailhead.

Recreation

Today, Bachman Lake is used as a recreational area that includes th
Bachman Recreation Center
several picnic areas, and a playground. A 3.3-mile (5.3 km) paved trail for pedestrians and cyclists surrounds the lake with fitness stations, benches, water fountains, restrooms, and picnic areas at several locations. Bachman Lake also serves as the home of the Dallas Rowing Club and supports

sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' ( land yacht) over a chose ...

and

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...

with a marina and boathouse.

Fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from fish stocking, stocked bodies of water such as fish pond, ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. ...

is also permitted as the lake is regularly stocked with

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, ...

(se
Stocking Schedule
. The feeding of wildlife is prohibited due to the lake's location in the flight path of Love Field.

Planned Improvements

The Dallas Water Utilities is undertaking the Bachman Lake Dam and Spillway Rehabilitation project. It will ensure dam safety, minimize flood risk, and provide regulatory compliance. In addition, dredging maintenance improvements will help revitalize the lake, improve water quality and allow residents to enjoy the lake for years to come. The project started July 2019 and is estimated to be completed in 2025. Dallas Water Utilities created a website to keep the public informed on construction activities
Bachman Lake Dam and Spillway Rehabilitation
project website. Bachman-lake-dam-spillway-2020.jpg, Bachman Lake Dam Spillway in 2020. Bachman-lake-dam-components.png, Bachman Lake Dam Components Bachman Lake Island.jpg, Example from 2020 of shallow water depth due to sediment build-up. The lake was the subject of media interest in 2017 over the development of an island in the middle, which may be attributed to poor construction management practices and/or normal sedimentation patterns. In April 2019, a City task force voted to recommend a "maintain the lake" option that would ultimately keep the lake's existing size and footprint largely intact by repairing the lake's dam and dredging the lake to remove sediment. In 2017, City voters approved bond propositions that include $11.4 million for parks projects around Bachman Lake including: # $3.9 million for the renovation of Bachman Recreation Center, scheduled to be completed in August 2020. # $3.5 million for a new regional aquatics center called the "Bachman Family Aquatics Center". As of August 2019, the project is in the design phase and is scheduled to complete construction by June 2021 # $4 million for a new skate park, which is expected to complete design in 2020 and construction in 2023.

References

External links

Bachman Lake
page at Dallas Parks & Recreation website
Bachman Lake Dam and Spillway Rehabilitation
project website
Bachman Lake Fishing Profile
from

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas. Its mission is to manage ...

Bachman Lake Trail
at ''

The Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885 by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ''Galvesto ...

''
Dallas Rowing Club
based at Bachman Lake * Lakes of Dallas Landmarks in Dallas {{Dallas-stub