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Lake Ray Roberts

Location

Lake Ray Roberts is in north central Texas and resides in Denton, Cooke, and Grayson counties. Lake Ray Roberts is an hour drive north of the DFW metroplex and resides east of Sanger Texas (POP. 6,916) and east of Pilot Point Texas (POP. 4,292) and north of Denton Texas (POP. 141,541). Lake Ray Roberts is on the border of two Texas’s ecoregions the cross timbers and Blackland prairies.

Hydrology

View of Ray Roberts Dam

Sunset at Lake Ray Roberts

Lake Ray Roberts receives it water input from the Elm Fork, a tributary of the Trinity River basin and has a surface area of 28,646 acres.  The Ray Roberts Dam is an earthen dam sitting at 141 feet high and is 15,250 feet long. The uncontrolled emergence spillway is located near the right end of the dam and measures about 100 feet in length at crest elevation of 645.5 feet above mean sea level.  Normal elevation of the lake is at 632 ft above mean sea level.  The maximum design water surface can reach the elevation of 658.8 feet above mean sea level. At top of flood control pool, elevation 640.5 feet above mean sea level, the lake will cover 36,900 acres and store 1,064,600-acre feet of water. According to 2008 TWDB survey, at top of conservation pool, elevation 632.5 feet above mean sea level, the lake will cover 28,646 acres and store 788.490-acre feet of water. The dam controls a drainage area of about 692 square miles. (TWDB.texas.gov). Lake Ray Roberts is approximately 23 miles long with 158 miles of shoreline The lake has an average depth of around 25 feet with the maximum depth being 106 feet.

History

Lake Ray Roberts was named after a local congressman who was in favor of the creation of the lake in 1980. Lakes creation history started when the state's water right permit was issued in 1975 for the Ray Robert Lake. Construction on Ray Roberts Dam began on May 31, 1982. The dam was completed, and deliberate impoundment of water began on June 30, 1987.

Uses and Purposes

Lake Ray Roberts was built to supply water to Dallas and Denton.  Ray Roberts is managed by the U.S Corp of Engineers and in cooperation with the Texas State Parks and Wildlife there is seven parks along the banks of the lake. Under the authority of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, The Corp of Engineers has stated their master plan as follows: "Ray Roberts Dam and Lake are a multi-purpose project used for flood control, water supply, hydropower, fish and wildlife, and recreation. In addition to these primary missions, USACE has an inherent mission of environmental stewardship of project lands and works closely with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department neighboring cities and counties to provide regionally important outdoor recreation opportunities."

Recreation

The lake offers opportunity for outdoor recreation along with parks ran and operated by the Texas state parks department visitors can enjoy hiking, camping, and access to the lake. There are four Texas state parks on Lake Ray Roberts, the state parks include; Ray Roberts Lake State Park, Ray Roberts Lake State Park Isle du Bois unit, Ray Roberts Lake State Park Jordan unit, and the Ray Roberts Lake State Park Johnson Branch unit. Lake Ray Roberts host a bounty of sport fish with healthy numbers that include Largemouth Bass, Striper, White Bass, Crappie, and Catfish.  

External Links

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Ray Roberts Lake
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Corps Lake Gateway – Ray Roberts Lake
• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Ray Roberts Lake Wildlife Management Area

References

• https://www.twdb.texas.gov/surfacewater/rivers/reservoirs/ray_roberts/index.asp#:~:text=Ray%20Roberts%20Lake%20(also%20known,tributary

• https://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/rayroberts/

• https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/ray_roberts/access.phtml