Falcon International Reservoir
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Falcon International Reservoir | |
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Location | On the Rio Grande 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Laredo, Texas, USA and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico |
Coordinates | 26° 35.06'N, 99° 9.56'W. |
Lake type | Hydroelectric reservoir |
Surface area | 83,654 acres (338.5 km²) |
Max depth | 110 feet (33.5 m) |
Surface elevation | 301 ft (92 m) above sea level |
Falcon International Reservoir is a reservoir on the Rio Grande 40 miles (64 km) southeast of Laredo, Texas, USA and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The huge lake is bounded by Starr and Zapata counties on the Texas side of the international border, and the county and city of Nuevo Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas on the Mexican side of the border. The reservoir was formed by the construction of a dam to provide water conservation, irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectricity to the area. The dam was dedicated by Mexican President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines and US President Dwight D. Eisenhower in October, 1953. The dam and lake are managed jointly by governments of the United States and Mexico through the International Boundary and Water Commission. The lake is named after María Rita de la Garza Falcón, for whom the town of Falcon (displaced by the creation of the reservoir) was named.
[edit] Fish and plant life
Falcon International Reservoir has been stocked with species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish present in the reservoir include largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, and channel bass.
[edit] Recreational uses
Falcon State Park features facilities for camping, picknicking, fishing, boating, and hiking.
[edit] External links
- Falcon International Reservoir - Texas Parks & Wildlife
- Falcon State Park - Texas Parks & Wildlife
- Falcon International Reservoir - Handbook of Texas Online
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA