Buchanan Dam
Encyclopedia
The Buchanan Dam is a multiple arch dam
located on the Colorado River of Texas
.
. The dam is used for generating hydroelectric power and for flood control and is located about 12 miles (19 km) west of Burnet
, Texas
.
A museum and visitor's center is located near the dam off Highway 29.
, but soon ended with the dam less than half completed when his highly-leveraged
public utility
holding company
collapsed during the Great Depression
. In 1934, the Texas legislature authorized the formation of the Lower Colorado River Authority
to complete the Hamilton dam. Following completion in 1937, the dam was re-named for U.S. Representative James P. Buchanan
, who was involved obtaining federal funding the project from the Public Works Administration
.
Construction of the dam required the relocation of the town of Bluffton, Texas
. Relocation began in 1931 and was complete by 1939. A 2011 drought
re-exposed the old Bluffton townsite.
Following a flood along the river in 1938, in which the dam was required to pass through all of the flow of water, there was criticism of the dam project as failing to meet its promise of preventing downstream floods. However, at the time it was pointed out that the Buchanan Dam was just the first in a series of four flood control dams, and that prevention of flooding would not be possible until they were finished.
Arch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
located on the Colorado River of Texas
Colorado River (Texas)
The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....
.
Description
The dam forms Lake Buchanan and was the first dam to be completed in the chain of Texas Highland LakesTexas Highland Lakes
The Texas Highland Lakes is a chain of seven reservoirs in Central Texas formed by several dams on the Colorado River. This portion of the river winds southeast from its headwaters near the border of Texas and New Mexico to Matagorda Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...
. The dam is used for generating hydroelectric power and for flood control and is located about 12 miles (19 km) west of Burnet
Burnet, Texas
Burnet is a city in and the county seat of Burnet County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,735 at the 2000 census.Both the city and the county were named for David Gouverneur Burnet, the first president of the Republic of Texas. He also served as Vice President during the...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
A museum and visitor's center is located near the dam off Highway 29.
History
Construction of the then-named George W. Hamilton Dam was started in 1931 by a company controlled by Samuel InsullSamuel Insull
Samuel Insull was an Anglo-American innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. Insull was notable for purchasing utilities and railroads using holding companies, as well as the abuse of them...
, but soon ended with the dam less than half completed when his highly-leveraged
Leverage (finance)
In finance, leverage is a general term for any technique to multiply gains and losses. Common ways to attain leverage are borrowing money, buying fixed assets and using derivatives. Important examples are:* A public corporation may leverage its equity by borrowing money...
public utility
Public utility
A public utility is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service . Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and regulation ranging from local community-based groups to state-wide government monopolies...
holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
collapsed during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In 1934, the Texas legislature authorized the formation of the Lower Colorado River Authority
Lower Colorado River Authority
The Lower Colorado River Authority or LCRA is a nonprofit public utility that was created in November 1934 by the Texas Legislature. LCRA's mission is to protect people, property and the environment by providing public services for more than one million people in Central and Southeast Texas...
to complete the Hamilton dam. Following completion in 1937, the dam was re-named for U.S. Representative James P. Buchanan
James P. Buchanan
James Paul Buchanan served as U.S. Representative from the 10th district of Texas from 1913 until his death on 22 February 1937. He was the chair of the Appropriations committee from 1933 on.-Legacy:...
, who was involved obtaining federal funding the project from the Public Works Administration
Public Works Administration
The Public Works Administration , part of the New Deal of 1933, was a large-scale public works construction agency in the United States headed by Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes. It was created by the National Industrial Recovery Act in June 1933 in response to the Great Depression...
.
Construction of the dam required the relocation of the town of Bluffton, Texas
Bluffton, Texas
Bluffton is an unincorporated community in Llano County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 75 in 2000....
. Relocation began in 1931 and was complete by 1939. A 2011 drought
2011 North American heat wave
The 2011 North American heat wave was a deadly summer 2011 heat wave that affected the Southern Plains, Midwestern United States, Eastern Canada, and much of the Eastern Seaboard had temperatures reaching upwards of on the Heat index/Humidex ratings...
re-exposed the old Bluffton townsite.
Following a flood along the river in 1938, in which the dam was required to pass through all of the flow of water, there was criticism of the dam project as failing to meet its promise of preventing downstream floods. However, at the time it was pointed out that the Buchanan Dam was just the first in a series of four flood control dams, and that prevention of flooding would not be possible until they were finished.