Caddo Lake

Cypress trees at Caddo Lake

Cypress trees at Caddo Lake

Photo by Thomas and Dianne Jones, CC by 2.0

Originally a natural lake, its surface and capacity have been increased through the construction of dams.

Lake Measurements

Surface Area (in acres)
26,138
Storage Capacity (in acre-feet)
129,000

Belongs to

Caddo Lake is part of or belongs to the following places.

Lake Maintained or Owned by

Northeast Texas Municipal Water District

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Date of Origin

1873 149 years ago

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Caddo Lake is classified as a Lake

Purposes

  • Conservation
  • Recreation
  • Municipal water supply

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Handbook of Texas

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas , a digital state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records

Caddo Lake is impounded by Caddo Dam in the Cypress Creek basin in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, and extends into Harrison and Marion counties, Texas; the center of the lake is located twenty-nine miles northeast of Marshall (at 30°42' N, 97°20' W). The lake, named for the Caddo Indians, was one of the largest natural lakes in the South prior to the construction of the dam. According to Caddo legend the lake was formed by an earthquake caused by a Caddo chief's failure to obey the Great Spirit. The more prosaic explanation of the lake's origin is that it was formed behind a log jam in the Red River. In 1874 the United States government destroyed the log jam, or Red River Raft, as it was called (see RED RIVER).

Continue Reading at the Handbook of Texas

Seth D. Breeding, Sallie Starr Lentz | © Texas State Historical Association