White Rock Lake

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White Rock Lake
White Rock Lake from the air, downtown and Uptown in the background
Coordinates	32°50′05″N, 96°53′16″W
Lake type	reservoir, recreation
Primary sources	White Rock Creek
Primary outflows	White Rock Creek
Basin countries	USA (Texas)
Surface area	1,254 acres (5.1 km²)^[1]
Max-depth	18 feet (5.5 m)^[2]
Water volume	18,160 acre feet (22,400,000 m³)
Surface elevation	458.1 feet (139.6 m)^[1]
Settlements	Dallas, 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]

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Flora and fauna

The lake contains catfish, sunfish, and bass.

[edit] Folklore

A well-known Dallas legend is the legend of the Lady of White Rock Lake. The tale goes (there are a lot in the area) that a ghost of a 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 arrives, and the house is no longer there: it was torn down years ago and is now the site of an apartment complex. Reports of the ghostly encounters were published in Dallas-area newspapers in the 1960s.