Water School

DeCordova Bend Dam and Lake Granbury were constructed by the Brazos River Authority and are maintained and operated by the BRA as a source of water supply.Construction of the project began in December 1966 and was completed in September 1969. The reservoir provides 129,011 acre-feet of storage capacity for conservation of flood and storm waters to meet requirements of municipalities, industries, agriculture and mining.  The reservoir has a permitted yield of 64,712 acre feet. ...

Lake Limestone, located on the upper Navasota River in Limestone, Robertson and Leon counties, is a water supply reservoir built by the Brazos River Authority in 1978. Construction of the reservoir was made possible through the sale of water to Texas Electric Utilities to be used by their lignite-burning electric plants in the area.  To view a copy of the Lake Limestone state permit, click here.Water from the reservoir is supplied for similar use at a NRG steam-electric plant just...

Forming the Brazos’ main stem when it joins with the Salt Fork in Stonewall County, this stretch of river begins near the Llano Estacado in Lynn County. The Double Mountain Fork gets its name from a geological feature nearby in Stonewall County.The river here is typically shallow and meandering. The land it passes through is mainly farm and ranchland and has little development. The fork extends about 213 river miles from its headwaters to where it joins the main stem. This fork also passes...

Although the Authority does not own or maintain canoe/kayak launch points on the Brazos, there are many put-in and take-out locations available along the Brazos river.The most popular paddling locations are the stretches of river below Possum Kingdom Lake and Lake Granbury. You can find points below the dam at Possum Kingdom Lake by clicking here. For the area below Lake Granbury you can find a map of distances and access points here.Information including access points and hazards along sections...

The streambed of the Brazos River, and all tributaries in Texas, is state-owned and operated, meaning camping, picnicking and fishing are all legal here, including sandbars. Photo by Juan RamirezSandbars are described as offshore bars that can be partly or completely submerged in the river, according to Realonomics. They are formed by bits of sand, silt and sedimentary rock that are deposited by rip currents in the river, then piled onto the bar due to the backwash of the water. During drou...

Yes, BRA parks have campsites that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Camping is free year-round at Lakes Granbury and Limestone, as well as September through May at Possum Kingdom Lake.Each BRA park offers amenities ranging from tables to shelters and grills and pits. Many of the parks also offer nearby restrooms and showers. If you prefer something a little less rustic, private groups offer cabin and RV sites. For more information about camping opportunities at BRA reservoirs, ...

Under Texas state law, a fishing license is required for all public waters. There are a few exceptions to this requirement. Those younger than 17 years of age, whether Texas residents or non-residents, are exempt. Also, Texas residents born before Jan. 1, 1931 are exempt from license requirements.  Texas residents over the age of 65 may buy a Senior Resident Fishing License.  For more information about fishing regulations in Texas, go to the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife website.

Since the Brazos River is a public stream, the 938-mile stretch of water is available for anyone to hunt.  Many people live along the river banks, and hunters must be mindful of their safety when shooting both firearms and arrows. To avoid violating Texas trespassing laws by straying onto private property, hunters should be careful where they walk on the riverbed. They are advised to not cross the boundary of the riverbed where woody plants begin to grow — this is dubbed the &ldq...

Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, or PAM, is a disease caused by the ameba Naegleria fowleri. It infects humans when water containing this ameba enters the body through the nostrils, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.  The infected water travels to the brain through the nose, destroying brain tissue. While rare, PAM affects 1 to 3 people in the U.S. every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. PAM is usually fatal. Early symptoms of PAM...

Allens Creek Reservoir is a planned water storage lake permitted for construction on Allens Creek, a tributary of the Brazos River, in Austin County. The permit to build the lake was originally issued to Houston Lighting and Power (Reliant Energy) in 1974 by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, now known as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).The reservoir was originally to have served as a cooling lake for a nuclear power plant. When Reliant Energy abandoned plan...