Colorado River!
'Of all the endeavors on which I have worked in public life, I am proudest of the accomplishment in developing the Colorado River.
It is not the damming of the streams or the harnessing of the floods in which I take pride, but rather in the ending of the waste of the region.
The region - so unproductive in my youth - is now a vital part of the national economy and potential.'
Lyndon Johnson, 1958
The Colorado River hurried through the Hill Country and Travis County. A resource both breathtakingly beautiful and (generally) advantageous for nearby farmers and populace, when it flooded, the River caused extensive harm to the expanse.
In an endeavor to manage flooding and a aspiration to produce economical hydroelectric electricity, the intention of building a dam was born!
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) in conjunction with support from politicians J.P. Buchanan and (later on) a young Congressman named Lyndon Johnson, the LCRA undertook the herculean attempt of building Mansfield Dam. Construction began in 1937 on the 26-story high, 7,000 foot long Dam and 4 years later was completed!
From the enclosure that was to be Mansfield Dam was created our Lake Travis. At its’ spacious point the lake in its dimensions is 4.5 miles, spans 63.5 miles, and is nearly 19,000 acres in extent. Today, the lake is a best-loved landing place for visitors and tourists from all over Texas and yonder!
