Lake Whitney

Sunset over Lake Whitney

Sunset over Lake Whitney

Lake Whitney is popular for fishing and boating. Photo by Brina Candi, CC By SA 4.0

Whitney Dam and Reservoir is in the Brazos River Basin two miles from Whitney on the western edge of Hill County on the Bosque county line (centered at 31°52' N, 97°22' W). Construction began on May 12, 1947, as part of the Brazos River Conservation and Reclamation program, and was completed in April 1951. The reservoir, which supplies water for municipal purposes, irrigation, and power production, is owned by the United States Government and operated by the United States Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District. It has a capacity of 379,100 acre-feet and a surface area of 23,500 acres. Storage capacity for flood control is 1,620,400 acre-feet between elevations of 520 and 571 feet above mean sea level. The drainage area above the dam is 26,170 square miles. The power plant has two 15,000 kilowatt generating units. The energy produced by the units is sold to the Brazos Electric Power Cooperative for distribution in the area. Lake Whitney State Recreation Area is on the southern edge of the lake on Farm Road 1244, four miles southwest of Whitney.

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

Lake Measurements

Surface Area (in acres)
23,220
Storage Capacity (in acre-feet)
554,203

Belongs to

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

Lake Maintained or Owned by

USAE

Adopt a Town

The Texas Almanac's Land Rush program lets you adopt the town, county, or lake of your choice and share your message with the world. 100% of the proceeds benefit education in Texas.

Date of Origin

1951 72 years ago

Currently Exists

Yes

Place type

Lake Whitney is classified as a Lake

Purposes

  • Flood Control
  • Power generation

Proud to call Texas home?

Put your name on the town, county, or lake of your choice.


Search Places »