Lake Austin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lake Austin | |
|---|---|
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| Location | Austin, Texas |
| Coordinates | |
| Lake type | Hydroelectric reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Colorado River |
| Primary outflows | Colorado River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 1,599 acres (6.5 km²) |
| Max. depth | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Surface elevation | 492 ft (150 m) above sea level |
Lake Austin is a reservoir on the Colorado River in Austin, Texas in the United States. The reservoir was formed in 1939 by the construction of Tom Miller Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority. Lake Austin is one of the seven Highland Lakes created by the Lower Colorado River Authority, and is used for flood control, electrical power generation, and recreation. Loop 360 spans the lake at the Pennybacker Bridge.
The other reservoirs on the Colorado River are Lake Buchanan, Inks Lake, Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, and Lady Bird Lake.
[edit] Fish and wildlife populations
Lake Austin has been stocked with several species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish present in Lake Austin include largemouth bass, catfish, and sunfish. Lake Austin is one of the Texas Highland Lakes infested with hydrilla, a non-native aquatic plant species. The Lower Colorado River Authority has intentionally lowered the water levels in the lake in the months of January and February so that freezing air temperatures might destroy substantial portions of the hydrilla in the lake each winter.
