Possum Kingdom Lake
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Possum Kingdom Lake | |
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Location | In Palo Pinto County, Texas, Stephens County, Texas, Jack County, Texas, Young County, Texas, USA |
Coordinates | 32° 52.00'N, 98° 26.00'W |
Lake type | Reservoir |
Primary sources | Brazos River |
Primary outflows | Brazos River |
Surface area | 19,800 acres (80.1 km²) |
Water volume | 724,700 acre-feet |
Possum Kingdom Lake (popularly known as P.K.) is a 20,000 acre (81 km²) lake on the Brazos River primarily in Palo Pinto County Texas, USA known for its clear blue waters. It has a 310 mile shore line.
It is impounded by the Morris Sheppard Dam which was built primarily for water conservation and flood control although it does have two 11,250 kilowatt generators. The dam is 2740 feet long and stands 190 feet high. The construction is unique with butressed arched wings on either side of the nine spillway gates rather than the usual filled concrete.[1]
The dam was completed in 1941 as part of the Works Progress Administration or WPA, a New Deal Depression recovery agency. It took three years and cost $9,000,000.
The dam was named for United States Senator Morris Sheppard of Texas.
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