Jump to content

White Rock Lake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Postoak (talk | contribs) at 03:42, 16 November 2006 (→‎White Rock Marathon: beneficiary). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

White Rock Lake is WikiProject Dallas' not-so-ducky article of the week!

Any help cleaning it up to a higher standard would be greatly appreciated.
4 days, 3 hours, 49 minutes left. Article rotates at the end of 14 December 2006 (UST).
Next up: decide here!

White Rock Lake
Coordinates32°50′05″N 96°53′16″W / 32.83472°N 96.88778°W / 32.83472; -96.88778
Typereservoir, recreation
Primary inflowsWhite Rock Creek
Primary outflowsWhite Rock Creek
Basin countriesUSA (Texas)
Surface area1,254 acres (5.1 km²)[1]
Max. depth18 feet (5.5 m)[2]
Water volume18,160 acre feet (22,400,030.2 m³)
Surface elevation458.1 feet (139.6 m)[1]
SettlementsDallas, Texas, (USA)

White Rock Lake is an artificial freshwater lake located in east Dallas, Texas (USA) used for a small portion of Dallas' drinking water and for condenser cooling at a steam-electric generating plant.[1] The lake was formed by damming White Rock Creek, which today widens into the lake before continuing south out of the spillway and emptying into the Trinity River.[1] The lake covers 1,254 acres (5.1 km²) in the Lakewood and Lake Highlands communities of Dallas.[1]


History

Construction on White Rock Lake began in 1910 due to a city-wide water shortage, and was completed in 1911.[1] In 1929, its role as the main water supplier for the area was supplanted by Lake Dallas (now Lake Lewisville).

In the early 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Dallas Park Board began developing the shores of the lake into parkland in response to residential development in the area.[1] In 1943, the federal government used barracks at Winfrey Point to house World War II German prisoners of war who had served in Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps.[1]

Neighborhoods developed around the lake, including Lakewood, Lake Highlands, Forest Hills, Little Forest Hills, Lake Park Estates, and Casa Linda, have become some of the more desired residential areas in the city.

Recreation

After its function as a water source was supplanted, White Rock Lake served as a recreational lake for the city of Dallas. The lake is surrounded by White Rock Lake Park, which features a 9.33 mile (15 km) trail for hiking, running and bicycling, the Bath House Cultural Center and the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Swimming is not allowed at the lake, but there are several fishing piers and sailing is permitted.

White Rock Marathon

Many events are held at White Rock Lake, including the White Rock Marathon, which, for part of the course, runs around the lake.[3] The primary beneficiary of the marathon is Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

Flora and fauna

The lake contains catfish, sunfish, and bass.

Folklore

A well known Dallas legend is the legend of the Lady of White Rock Lake. The tale goes that (there are alot in the area that a ghost of a young girl in her early 20s dripping wet in 1920s dinner evening wear will appear at night and a car passing along the road circling the lake will stop. The girl tells the driver she had an accident and needs to get home. The driver will then drive to the address given and when he (or she) arrives the girl is gone leaving only a waterlogged seat where she was sitting. The driver then learns after knocking on the door of the house that the girl was their daughter that was killed in a boating accident years ago. Some later stories report that the driver taking the girl going to the address now arrive and the house is no longer there, it was torn down years ago and now the site of an apartment complex. Reports of the ghostly encounters were published in Dallas area newspapers in the 1960s.

The northeastern shore of the lake, with marina

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Handbook of Texas Online - White Rock Lake. Retrieved 13 November 2006.
  2. ^ Texas Parks & Wildlife Department - Fishing White Rock Lake. Retrieved 13 November 2006. Note that data here is not consistent with data from other cited sources (like the Handbook of Texas).
  3. ^ Dallas White Rock Marathon - Course Information. Retrieved 9 November 2006.


32°50′05″N 96°53′16″W / 32.83472°N 96.88778°W / 32.83472; -96.88778

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=White_Rock_Lake&oldid=88135776"