User:Garrettduncan2/Hords creek

Location
Hords Creek Reservoir is located in Coleman County, along the Colorado River Basin, and lies 63 miles due south of Abliene, TX (population 125,070) and 10 miles west of Coleman, TX (population 3,917). This reservoir is located in the Edwards Plateau ecoregion.

Hydrology
Hords Creek has a conservation capacity of 8,640 acre-feet and a surface area of 510 acres. This reservoir lies at an elevation of 1,900 feet above mean sea level. Maximum capacity at the spillway crest of 25,310 acre-feet. The maximum depth is 39 feet. Hords Creek was impounded in 1947 to form the lake. Hords Creek is also the inflow and outflow of this reservoir. Droughts are common in this area of Texas and Hords Creek was faced with a severe drought from 2007-2011 and was over 19 feet low before a large rainfall in 2014 refilled the reservoir.

Physiochemical Characteristics
Hords Creek Reservoir is a clear lake with visibility up to four feet with stained waters in some places.

Ecoregion
The average rainfall of the Edwards Plateau ecoregion is between 15 and 34 inches with an average of 26 inches. This region is mostly comprised of hilly terrain with grasslands and scattered trees. The average temperature in the warmest month of the year (July) is 95 degrees. The average temperature in the coldest month of the year (January) is 32 degrees.

Terrestrial Ecosystem Type
The land around the lake is characterized by rolling hills with a few peaks (Jim Ned and Chandlers) in the northern section of the county. Mesquite-grassland savanna, bottomland woodland, and upland scrub comprise the vegetation regions of the area.

Flora
Aquatic vegetation that has been identified in Hords Creek Reservoir are coontail, water stargrass, pondweed, buttonbush, spikerush, water primrose, frogbit, and sagittaria.

Fauna
The most common species of fish found in this reservoir are largemouth bass, white crappie, sunfish, and channel and flathead catfish. Fishing conditions are labeled as "Good" for largemouth bass, crappie, and sunfish. Fishing conditions are "Fair" for catfish species. A sampling effort by Texas Parks and Wildlife caught 65.5% white crappie, 23.6% largemouth bass, 5.4% catfish, 3.4% sunfish sp., and 2% common carp.

Uses
Hords Creek Reservoir is owned and managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This reservoir was deliberately impounded to serve as a water source for surrounding towns. Other uses of this reservoir are flood management and recreation. The shoreline is protected by the United States Army Corps of Engineers for habitat management purposes.

Recreation
This lake has two parks with campgrounds that are owned by the Army Corps of Engineers. Flat rock and Lakeside Park both offer boat ramps and camping services. There are eight boat ramps in Hords Creek (four in Lakeside Park, four in Flatrock Park, and one in Friendship Park). Fishing is a common activity at Hords Creek with many places to bank fish around the lake.

History
Construction of Hords Creek Dam and lake was started in February of 1947 and was completed in June 1948. The building of the dam had a total cost of roughly 3 million dollars. The dam is roughly 6,800 feet long and is comprised of earthfill. The top of the dam sits at 1933.6 feet above sea level. Hords Creek Reservoir is named after the creek that was impounded to create the reservoir. This reservoir provides water to the local communities as well as offers recreational opportunities (fishing, boating, swimming, etc.).