“In 1937 while running as a candidate for the surrounding Congressional district, Lyndon Baines Johnson promised voters that he would create a “Tennessee Valley Authority” type of transformation for the Colorado River, including dams for flood control and electricity, bridges and highways, and recreational facilities along the river. Johnson’s victory soon brought into being the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and with it the benefits of rural electrification for residents of the Texas Hill Country. “ – Texas Parks & Wildlife Inks Lake (http://texascccparks.org/parks/inks-lake/)
In tandem, the ambitious Highland Lakes system controls water supply – both flood AND drought control as well as municipal water, generates power, and provides recreational opportunities to the citizens of Texas. Location of the lakes employed local topography – both for optimized dam construction and water storage. Many of the projects also provided much needed employment during the Great Depression. Inexpensive Power, water control, and recreation proved a boon to local economies; and specific and overall engineering of the system earned the Highland Chain of Lakes Historic Civil Engineering Landmark of Texas status in 2000.
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Lake Buchannan and Inks Lake started the ambitious project of six dams designed to control Texas’ Colorado River and launching the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). In addition to water management, the Highland Lakes were instrumental in ‘electrifying’ Central Texas and the Hill Country, as, at the bidding of then Representative Lyndon Johnson, the LCRA proselytized electricity distribution and consumption through a late ‘30s-40s campaign to convince communities to purchase their local distribution systems and buy power from LCRA. Almost all communities did — and saw retail electric bills drop almost by half from what private utilities had charged. LCRA also sponsored "electric fairs" with local merchants to introduce residents to the benefits of electric appliances.
Wirtz Dam, in conjunction with downstream Starcke Dam, was the final step in the Colorado River’s Highland Lakes system. Construction on Wirtz Dam, a concrete and earthfill structure, was begun in September 1948 and was completed in November 1951. Some sources place completion in 1950, however deliberate impoundment of water began in May 1951, and the dam’s dedication (with LBJ AND Max Starcke present) was June 15, 1952 (LCRA archive photo (
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Originally called Granite Shoals for the granite outcrops along the river, now drowned by the lake, the dam was renamed in 1952 for Alvin J. Wirtz (instrumental in LCRA's creation and its first general counsel) and the lake was renamed in 1965 for another advocate of LCRA: President Lyndon B. Johnson.
A ‘constant-level’ lake, Lake LBJ’s primary purpose is to provide hydroelectric power, as well as supplying cooling water for LCRA's Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant along Horseshoe Bay. Except during floods, the only water released from the lake is through the turbines for the generation of power.
It is worth viewing the dam via Google Earth for interesting detail that you cannot see from the ground.
The listed coordinates put you at an overflow parking lot for the nearby marina – and you may be only able to drive within a tenth mile of that (N30 33.200 W098 20.130) – though the gate can be walked past with no issues. Unfortunately, in this post-9/11 world, only the most oblique or distant views of the dam are available – the low water crossing below it being fenced off. For the purpose of this waymark, however, other views of the lake and/or dam are encouraged – and please include where and why you visited in your log!
In total, the Highland Lakes Chain is comprised of (in up- to downstream order):
Buchanan Dam/Lake –finished in 1937/38 …built in tandem with
Inks Dam/Lake –finished in ‘38
Wirtz Dam (nee Granite Shoals) — Lake LBJ; 1949 to 1951 …built in tandem with
Starcke Dam – Lake Marble Falls (1949/51)
Mansfield Dam — Lake Travis; finished 1941
Tom Miller Dam – Lake Austin; 1938 to 1940
Just some FAQs (courtesy LCRA)
FYI: WIRTZ DAM
Location: Llano and Burnet counties, 387 river miles from the Gulf of Mexico
When built: 1949 to 1951
Dam dimensions: 118.3 feet high, 5,491.4 feet long
Primary purpose: Hydroelectric power, cooling water for Thomas C. Ferguson Power Plant
Generating capacity: 60 megawatts
Top of dam: 838 feet above msl
Floodgates: 10
Discharge capacity: 317,400 cubic feet per second (cfs):
+ 10 floodgates @ 30,800 cfs each
+ 2 turbines @ 4,700 cfs each
Original name: Granite Shoals Dam
DETAILS ON LAKE LBJ
Lake area: 6,256 acres
Lake elevation when full: 825 feet above mean sea level (msl)
Volume when full: 133,216 acre-feet
Historic high: 836.2 feet above msl on Sept. 11, 1952
Historic low: 793.8 feet above msl on Nov. 16, 1970
Target operating range: 824.4 feet to 825 feet above msl
100-year flood level at dam: 828.1 feet above msl
Dimensions: 21.15 miles long and 10,800 feet at widest point
Original name: Lake Granite Shoals
“MYTH VS. REALITY - LCRA dams form the Highland Lakes” (
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Myth:
The Highland Lakes dams will protect downstream homes and businesses from flooding.
Reality:
Mansfield Dam, which forms Lake Travis, is the only dam that was built to hold back floodwaters. The other dams help manage the flow of floodwaters as they travel through the chain of lakes. A severe flood can exceed even Lake Travis' flood storage capacity and cause flooding downstream.
For more background, see:
Lake Lyndon B. Johnson Public Access Facilities (
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Historic photos of Wirtz Dam LCRA archives (
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LBJ Time Machine 1952 (LBJ Library) (
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LCRA's Historic Moment: History of the Highland Lakes (
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The history of LCRA Early years and first critical test (
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LCRA as discussed by Wikipedia (
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LCRA dams form the Highland Lakes
Structures designed for flood management, water supply, hydroelectricity (
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Once named Granite Shoals Wirtz Dam and Lake LBJ (
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Wirtz Dam (
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Texas State Historical Association The Handbook of Texas Online:
Lower Colorado River Authority (
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Lake Lyndon B. Johnson (
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Granite Shoals, TX (
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