6 Rare Photos Taken During The Canyon Dam Construction That Will Simply Astound You
By Katie Lawrence|Published July 15, 2019
×
Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
Canyon Lake is one of the most popular outdoor water recreation attractions in Texas, but did you know how it came about? Rare photos taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers way back in 1958 have recently resurfaced, giving us insight into the construction of this incredible place. You won’t want to miss these:
Given how susceptible the Hill Country is to flash flooding, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decided to take a preemptive approach all the way back in 1958. A six-year project, Canyon Dam was completed in 1964 and has since been protecting the surrounding areas from dangerous levels of rainfall.
Explosives were brought in by the truckload to create a spillway that would eventually become the dam. Crews worked around the clock to lay a solid foundation for the over 6,000-foot long embankment.
Once the reservoir was filled, tourists started arriving in droves to swim, boat, kayak, and countless other water recreation activities. Though many decades have come and gone, one thing remains unchanged: Canyon Lake is, and always will be, a place for fun.
Water was added ever so slowly, forever burying the construction potentially responsible for preventing so many innocent people from drowning. The sheer power of Mother Nature should never be underestimated, and it takes hard work to develop a symbiotic relationship with her.
So how does it all work, exactly? Well, the top of the dam is 974 feet above sea level. It releases water when the lake rises to 943 feet, largely preventing any catastrophic damage from occurring.
By the time it was all said and done, more than $20 million was poured into the dam's construction. It was money well spent, considering the barricade has remained a powerful force for the past 50 years.
Here's a look at the dam today for comparison's sake. It's hard to believe just how much time has passed between the previous photos and this one. The landmark ages rather well, wouldn't you agree?
