| Possum Kingdom Lake | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Possum Kingdom Lake  Possum Kingdom Lake | |
| Location | Palo Pinto / Stephens / Young counties, Texas |
| Coordinates | 32°52.00′N 98°26.00′W / 32.86667°N 98.43333°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Brazos River |
| Primary outflows | Brazos River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 19,800 acres (8,000 ha) |
| Max. depth | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Water volume | 724,700 acre⋅ft (893,900 ML) |
| Shore length1 | 310 miles (500 km) |
| Surface elevation | 998 ft (304 m) |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Possum Kingdom Lake (popularly known as P.K.), is a reservoir on the Brazos River located primarily in Palo Pinto County Texas. It was the first water supply reservoir constructed in the Brazos River basin.[1] The lake has an area of approximately 17,000 acres (6,900 ha) with 310 miles (500 km) of shoreline. It holds 750,000 acre-feet (930,000,000 m3) of water with 550,000 acre-feet (680,000,000 m3) available for water supply.[2]
The lake is impounded by the Morris Sheppard Dam, which was a project of the Brazos River Authority and the Works Progress Administration. Construction was begun in 1936 and completed in 1941. The dam is 2,700 feet (820 m) long and 190 feet (58 m) high.[3] The construction is unique with buttressed arched wings on either side of the nine spillway gates rather than the usual filled concrete.[4] It has two 11,250 kilowatt generators which were used during peak demand periods that are no longer in use.[5] Morris Sheppard was in 1938 one of Texas' United States Senators. The dam was named for him in honor of his efforts in obtaining funding for the project.[6]
The lake is located where the Brazos River cuts through the Palo Pinto Hills.[7] The canyon thus formed provided a favorable site for impoundment of the reservoir and accounts for the unusual depth of the lake and the resulting clarity of the water.
There are several stories about the origin of the name Possum Kingdom for this part of the Brazos River valley. The most accepted version attributes the name to Ike Sablosky who settled in the region in the early twentieth century.[8] Sablosky was a businessman, a Russian Jewish immigrant who came to America at the age of 13. He arrived in Mineral Wells, Texas from Indianapolis in 1905. Sablosky was suffering from stomach trouble and believed he was dying. Mineral Wells was then nationally famous as a health spa and Sablosky offered an employee of one of the spa hotels ten cents a day for ten days to be allowed to drink all of the mineral water he wanted. The employee accepted and Sablosky claimed that within ten days his stomach problems were cured.
Sablosky then went into the fur and hide business, dealing in, among other things, possum pelts. His best suppliers of these hunted in the canyon of the Brazos and Sablosky began greeting them by saying, "Here are the boys from the Possum Kingdom." Sablosky went on to be a prominent businessman in Dallas. Before his death he left millions of dollars to charity.[9]
The lake is home to the famous Hell's Gate, a sheer break in the cliffs around the lake. The lake's name was the title of a popular 1990s song "Possum Kingdom" by The Toadies.[10]
The lake is home to Possum Kingdom State Park, a 1,530-acre (620 ha) state park governed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
The Possum Kingdom Lake area suffered major wildfires in 2011 during a severe drought, first in April with 160 homes destroyed[11] and again in August–September with 39 homes and 9 recreational vehicles lost.[12] The cause of the second 2011 fire was an electrical spark on the 101 Ranch.[13] The first week of August 2012 brought more wildfires to the PK vicinity (between the dam & Graford) which were possibly ignited by lightning strikes amid the extremely drought-ridden countryside. Texas Governor Perry authorized the Texas military forces to assist in battling them. Several Chinook helicopters were assigned to the Palo Pinto county efforts.[14] The fires were brought under control over a period of days & nights.
The lake was originally at the level of the cliffs resort which caused the massive C-shaped ridges in the side walls of the shore.
YouTube Encyclopedic
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Possum Kingdom State Park, Texas [Official]
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Top of Hell's Gate. Possum Kingdom Lake
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Hills Above Possum Kingdom Lake - Testimonials
Transcription
Just an hour’s drive west of Dallas and Ft. Worth awaits a land of rivers, canyons and clear lakes. Lake Possum Kingdom lies nestled in the rugged cliffs of Palo Pinto country. As far as lakes in the whole state of Texas, this is one of their crown jewels. We really enjoyed it. It’s a beautiful lake. You’ve got plenty of wildlife. The scenery is gorgeous. At the western end of the lake, Possum Kingdom State Park offers 1500 acres of public land with a variety of campsites and cabins. Got two bedrooms, we’ve got a kitchen, we’ve got a large living room and den area in there, and a bath so, I mean, you can’t beat it. It’s just like being home but being out here on the lake, having a good time. Some campsites line the lakefront with access to all the action on the water. Others, tucked away near a secluded cove, afford a more tranquil experience. [music] The park store carries just about anything campers could need and the nearby marina rents boats to explore and enjoy the lake. [engine starts] Towering limestone cliffs dominate the southeastern end of the lake and form a cove entrance known as Hell’s Gate. Whether it’s above the water surface or below, Possum Kingdom means water sports. The striking landscape of the lake and its cool, clear waters provide an enticing combination and Possum Kingdom State Park offers one of the best ways to experience it. [music] All you gotta do is come once and you’ll always come back to Possum Kingdom. It’s a place to make memories. [music] For more information on Texas state parks and historic sites, visit our website or call 1-800-792-1112.
References
- ^ "Possum Kingdom Lake (Brazos River Basin)". Texas Water. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ^ Brazos River Authority accessed online at "::Brazos River Authority:: Possum Kingdom". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- ^ Brazos River Authority accessed online at "::Brazos River Authority:: Possum Kingdom". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- ^ Possum Kingdom Reservoir from the Handbook of Texas Online
- ^ Brazos River Authority accessed online at "::Brazos River Authority:: Possum Kingdom". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
- ^ "History of Morris Sheppard Dam and Possum Kingdom Lake". All Roads Lead to Possum Kingdom lake. Possum Kingdom lake Chamber of Commerce.
- ^ David R. Holland, Golf Texas, accessed online at http://www.golftexas.com/holland91.htm
- ^ Rocky Holland, Possum Kingdom State Park Superintendent quoted in Texas Highways Magazine accessed online at http://texashighways.com/travel/item/657-possum-kingdom-lake-forms-heart-of-north-texas-escape
- ^ Tolbert of Texas: the man and his work. Page 184, Frank X. Tolbert and Evelyn Oppenheimer, TCU Press, Fort Worth, 1986. Reprinting an article dated April 20, 1958.
- ^ Todd Lewis, Lead Singer of the Toadies, 1995 interview appearing in Rip Magazine according to SongFacts accessed online at http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4014
- ^ Dallas News accessed online at http://www.dallasnews.com/news/state/headlines/20110831-firefighters-closer-to-containing-wildfire-near-possum-kingdom-lake.ece
- ^ Texas Forest Services as quoted by NASA accessed online at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=52028
- ^ "Cause Of 2nd Possum Kingdom Lake Fire Determined - CBS Texas". www.cbsnews.com. 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
- ^ Office of the Texas Governor accessed online at http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/17529/
External links
- Possum Kingdom Online Community
- PK lake 2011 FIRES webpage
- April 2011 Fires as reported by Pondera Properties (PonderaPK) at Possum Kingdom Lake. This was the most comprehensive minute-by-minute report of days of fire coverage. It was provided as a community service from a local business at Possum Kingdom Lake and the report itself (a/k/a the "fire blog") was followed by thousands of people and received media attention as a result.
- Page 184, Tolbert of Texas: The Man and His Work - How Possum Kingdom got its name
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This page was last edited on 5 July 2023, at 09:53