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Sam Rayburn Reservoir is a reservoir in the United States located in Southeast Texas, 70 miles (130 km) north of Beaumont. The reservoir is fed by the Angelina River, the major tributary of the Neches River. The capacity of the reservoir is 3,997,600 acre-feet (4.9310 km³), and is the largest lake wholly located within the state of Texas. The reservoir is operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth district.
History
Construction began September 7, 1956 and the reservoir began serving its purpose on March 29, 1965. The main purposes of the reservoir are flood control, hydroelectric power generation and conservation of water. Total construction costs, including those for recreation facilities, were estimated at approximately $66 million.
Trivia
It was formerly known as McGee Bend Dam and Reservoir until 1963. In September of that year, the 88th Congress adopted a special resolution changing the name to "Sam Rayburn Dam and Reservoir," in honor of the recently deceased Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, a long-time champion of soil and water conservation. Dedication ceremonies were held on May 8, 1965.
The lake is a popular recreation destination, both for boating and fishing, with game fish species in the lake including largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish. Due to the abundance of Bass it is home to more than 300 tournaments annually which include tournaments such as ESPN/BASS Masters, BASS Champs, Wal Mart BFL, FLW Outdoors, Angler's Quest, Bass-n-Bucks, and McDonald's Big Bass Splash.[1]
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