Lake Whitney (Texas)
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Lake Whitney is one of the only three reservoirs created off the Brazos River in the state of Texas. A noted lake for many different types of fishing, it is located 80 miles south of Fort Worth and 29 miles north of Waco. The man made reservoir encompasses 37 square miles and 225 miles of shoreline that varies from 100 ft tall white bluffs to low lying sandy beaches (the bluffs are found on the eastern side of the lake; the low-lying beaches on the western side).
[edit] History
The Whitney Dam was authorized by the county in 1944 to improve flood control and as a way to create power generation for the surrounding areas. Once the bond election had passed and funds had been raised, the reservoir project began in earnest in 1946. The dam was opened in 1951 while construction of the power plant was completed afterwards and began operation in 1953. Today the Army Corps of Engineers maintains the dam and the surrounding parks, such as Soldiers Bluff. The dam is built directly on the county line and is the dividing line for Hill and Bosque counties. The lake was originally to be just one of the numerous planned reservoirs built along the Brazos as it made its way to the Gulf of Mexico, but this plan was never realized due to public response to such projects, and the John Graves book Goodbye to a River is cited as a major influence in this decision.
The lake has many choices of accommodations for visitors, ranging from quaint "Mom & Pop" resorts to B&B's. Many offer boat rentals, fine dining, and year-round recreation. The Texas Legislature named Lake Whitney as the Official Getaway Capital of the state in 2005.
[edit] Recreation
The lake is well recognized by local residents as a popular recreational destination (due to its proximity to both Waco and the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex) and is home to numerous parks and marinas. Due to the wide and open area of the lake, water skiiers are prevalent in the widest parts of the lakes nearest the dam. Bass fishing, just one of the many types of fishing that can be done at the lake, nearest its Brazos waters, has produced many trophy fish and holds two state records.
