Richland-Chambers Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Richland-Chambers Reservoir is the third largest inland reservoir
by surface area and the 8th largest reservoir by water volume in Texas
formed by the impoundment of Richland Creek and Chambers Creek east-southeast of the town of Corsicana
and south of Kerens
, in Navarro County and Freestone County
, Texas
, USA. It has 330 miles (531.1 km) of shoreline and is "Y" shaped with the dam on the eastern end of the lake.
to build the Richland-Chambers Reservoir with the purpose of being a public water source for Tarrant County
. The plan called for a reservoir to be built along with a pipeline between Richland-Chambers and Lake Benbrook. However, no actions were taken until October 1, 1979 when the water district issued $342.75 million in revenue bonds for construction.
Construction began on October 7, 1982. The dam was closed on Richland-Chambers Reservoir July 1987 and filled by May 1989. On November 12, 1988 the Richland-Chambers pipeline become operational.
In 1999 a wetlands project was launched for the purpose of reusing Trinity River
water by filtering a portion of the river through wetlands and then into the Richland-Chambers Reservoir. Initially a demonstration project, this has proved successful and is moving into a larger 2000 acres (8.1 km²) phase. Due to this additional water, plans are in place to build an additional pipeline between the reservoir and Tarrant County.
.
The City of Corsicana holds the rights to 32807 acre.ft of water each year with the option to purchase more. This water is not currently being drawn but a pipeline is being built (2008) to Corsicana for that purpose.
The lake has been stocked with Coppernose bluegill
, Florida bass
, channel catfish and blue catfish.
The old Trinity River levee forms a crescent-shaped underwater structure between the confluence of the Richland and Chambers creek arms and the dam and is good for fishing.
with access areas of:
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
by surface area and the 8th largest reservoir by water volume in 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...
formed by the impoundment of Richland Creek and Chambers Creek east-southeast of the town of Corsicana
Corsicana, Texas
Corsicana is a city in Navarro County, Texas, United States. It is located on Interstate 45 some fifty-five miles south of downtown Dallas. The population was 24,485 at the 2000 census...
and south of Kerens
Kerens, Texas
Kerens is a city in Navarro County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,681 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kerens is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land....
, in Navarro County and Freestone County
Freestone County, Texas
Freestone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 17,867. Its county seat is Fairfield.-Geography:...
, 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...
, USA. It has 330 miles (531.1 km) of shoreline and is "Y" shaped with the dam on the eastern end of the lake.
History
Due to a drought in 1956-1957 plans were made by the Tarrant Regional Water DistrictTarrant Regional Water District
The Tarrant Regional Water District is a water district in Texas.- History :A devastating flood occurred in Fort Worth on April 12, 1922. The damage and loss of life was catastrophic. As a result, the Tarrant County Commissioner's Court on October 7, 1924, created the Tarrant County Water...
to build the Richland-Chambers Reservoir with the purpose of being a public water source for Tarrant County
Tarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, it had a population of 1,809,034. Its county seat is Fort Worth. Tarrant County is the sixteenth most populous county in the United States and the third most populous in Texas. The county is named in honor...
. The plan called for a reservoir to be built along with a pipeline between Richland-Chambers and Lake Benbrook. However, no actions were taken until October 1, 1979 when the water district issued $342.75 million in revenue bonds for construction.
Construction began on October 7, 1982. The dam was closed on Richland-Chambers Reservoir July 1987 and filled by May 1989. On November 12, 1988 the Richland-Chambers pipeline become operational.
In 1999 a wetlands project was launched for the purpose of reusing Trinity River
Trinity River (Texas)
The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
water by filtering a portion of the river through wetlands and then into the Richland-Chambers Reservoir. Initially a demonstration project, this has proved successful and is moving into a larger 2000 acres (8.1 km²) phase. Due to this additional water, plans are in place to build an additional pipeline between the reservoir and Tarrant County.
Water rights
The reservoir was built by the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) who retains most of the water rights. TRWD is a water wholesaler to 11 counties in Texas. This water is pumped from Richland-Chambers via a 90 inches (2,286 mm) pipeline to balancing reservoirs and on to Lake Benbrook for storage before moving to the water treatment plants or Eagle Mountain LakeEagle Mountain Lake
Eagle Mountain Lake is a freshwater lake in North Texas. The lake was created by damming the West Fork of the Trinity River and sits below Lake Bridgeport and above Lake Worth . The lake dam was finished on October 24, 1932. In 1965, the District voters approved a bond issue to allow the District...
.
The City of Corsicana holds the rights to 32807 acre.ft of water each year with the option to purchase more. This water is not currently being drawn but a pipeline is being built (2008) to Corsicana for that purpose.
Fish and plant life
Predominant fish species on Richland-Chambers Reservoir include:- WhiteWhite bassThe white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass The white bass or sand bass (MoroneIt is the state fish of Oklahoma.- Range :White bass are distributed widely across the United States, particularly in the midwest. They are very abundant in Pennsylvania and the area around Lake Erie...
& hybrid striped bassHybrid striped bassA hybrid striped bass, also known as a wiper or whiterock bass, is a hybrid between the striped bass and the white bass . It can be distinguished from the striped bass by broken rather than solid horizontal stripes on the body... - BlueBlue catfishThe blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, is one of the largest species of North American catfish. Blue catfish are distributed primarily in the Mississippi River drainage including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers...
& channel catfishChannel catfishChannel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8... - Largemouth bassLargemouth bassThe largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
- CrappieCrappieCrappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
- Smallmouth buffalo
- CarpCarpCarp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
The lake has been stocked with Coppernose bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, Florida bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, channel catfish and blue catfish.
The old Trinity River levee forms a crescent-shaped underwater structure between the confluence of the Richland and Chambers creek arms and the dam and is good for fishing.
Recreational uses
Although its primary purpose is as a water supply reservoir, Richland-Chambers Reservoir is a venue for outdoor recreation, including fishing, boating, and swimming.Public access areas
Primary access if via US 287U.S. Route 287 in Texas
In the U.S. state of Texas, U.S. Highway 287 is a U.S. Highway that begins on the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur and heads north through Fort Worth, northwest to Childress, Clarendon, and Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle and into Oklahoma near Kerrick....
with access areas of:
- Cedar Creek
- Chambers Creek Marina
- FM 2859 Crossing
- Cheneyboro Ramp
- Crab Creek
- Midway Landing
- Oak Cove Marina
- Old Hwy 287 Launch
- Highway 309 Park
- Fisherman's Point