History
Granger Lake is a
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 ...
on the
San Gabriel River in central
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. It is one of the 11 reservoirs that make up the Brazos River basin. The lake is located near the towns of
Granger, Texas
Granger is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. It was incorporated in 1891. The population was 1,183 at the 2020 census.
History
In the late 19th century, Granger was one of the centers of the large Moravian Czech immigrant popul ...
and
Taylor, Texas
Taylor is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,575 at the 2000 census; it was 15,191 at the 2010 census; it was 16,267 at the 2020 census.
History
In 1876, the Texas Land Company auctioned lots in anticipati ...
in
Williamson County. The dam, lake, and all adjacent property are managed by the Fort Worth District of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
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. The reservoir was officially impounded in 1980 and serves to provide flood control for the communities downstream. Granger Lake is a popular recreational destination. The other reservoir on the San Gabriel River is
Lake Georgetown, located upstream of Granger Lake, on the North Fork of the San Gabriel River, near
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city in Texas and the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 67,176 at the 2020 census. It is 30 miles (48 km) north of Austin.
Founded in 1875 from four existing colleges, the oldest of ...
.
Construction on the dam began in 1972 and finished in 1977. The dam is used for flood control, water conservation, recreational use, as well as fish and wildlife habitat. With surface area of 18,820 acres the storage capacity of Granger Dam is 561,100 acre-feet the dam is also a tourist site. There is approximately 10,800 acres of wildlife management areas that surround this lake as well.
Fish population
Granger Lake has been stocked with species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish present in Granger Lake include
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, ...
,
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 s ...
, and
crappie
Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers.
Etymology
The genus name ''Pomoxis'' ...
.
Zebra, Quagga, and mussels are an invasive species that are able to attach themselves to boats and can be spread through anthropogenic sources. Granger Lake is one of two lakes in the San Gabriel River Basin that is found to have this infestation.
Recreational uses
In addition to maintaining the dam that creates the reservoir, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains recreational facilities at the lake. Taylor Park, Willis Creek Park, and Wilson H. Fox Park include day use areas for picnics and boat ramps for lake access. Overnight camping at both improved and primitive sites is permitted. Several designated wildlife areas border the lake, including Pecan Grove Wildlife Area, San Gabriel Wildlife Area, Sore Finger Wildlife Area, and Willis Creek Wildlife Area. Boating and fishing are popular for this area.
References
External links
Official Granger Lake web siteGranger Lake - Texas Parks & Wildlife*
TSHA , Granger Lake (tshaonline.org)Round Goby , National Invasive Species Information Center
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Reservoirs in Texas
Protected areas of Williamson County, Texas
Bodies of water of Williamson County, Texas
1980 establishments in Texas