Lake Bastrop is a reservoir on Spicer Creek in the Colorado River basin 3 miles (5 km) northeast of the town of Bastrop in central Bastrop County, Texas, United States. The reservoir was formed in 1964 by the construction of a dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority. The lake serves primarily as a power plant cooling pond for the Sim Gideon Power Plant operated by the LCRA and the Lost Pines Power Project 1, owned by GenTex Power Corporation, a wholly owned affiliate of the LCRA. Lake Bastrop also serves as a venue for outdoor recreation, including fishing, boating, swimming, camping and picnicking, and is maintained at a constant level year round.

Lake Bastrop
Lake Bastrop at North Shore Park
Location of Lake Bastrop in Texas, USA.
Location of Lake Bastrop in Texas, USA.
Lake Bastrop
Location of Lake Bastrop in Texas, USA.
Location of Lake Bastrop in Texas, USA.
Lake Bastrop
LocationBastrop County, Texas
Coordinates30°9.31′N 97°17.51′W / 30.15517°N 97.29183°W / 30.15517; -97.29183
TypePower plant cooling reservoir
Primary inflowsSpicer Creek
Primary outflowsSpicer Creek
Basin countriesUnited States
Surface area906 acres (367 ha)
Max. depth60 ft (18 m)
Water volume16,590 acre⋅ft (20,460,000 m3)
Surface elevation450 ft (140 m)

Approximately one quarter of the shoreline of the Lake is privately owned by the Capitol Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. This property is used for the Lost Pines Scout Reservation, consisting of Cub World at Camp Tom Wooten, for Cub Scouts and Lost Pines Boy Scout Camp, for Boy Scouts. The Scouts leased the property from the LCRA starting in 1965, buying the land in the late 1990s.


Fish populations edit

Lake Bastrop has been stocked with species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish present in Lake Bastrop include catfish, crappie, perch, sunfish, carp, and largemouth bass.

Recreational Fishing Populations
Species Low Moderate High Extreme
Largemouth Bass X
Catfish X
Crappie X
Sunfish X

Recreational uses edit

The Lower Colorado River Authority maintains two public parks, North Shore Park and South Shore Park, on the lake, both of which provide campsites for rent.

Water Conditions [1] edit

Water Clarity : Annually clear , however occasionally stained.

Water Structure: Lake provides a high density of aquatic vegetation , providing multiple habitats.

Water Levels: Annually will fluctuate 1 to 2 feet depending on time of year.

References edit

  1. ^ "Fishing Lake Bastrop". tpwd.texas.gov. Retrieved 2020-11-18.

External links edit