North Lake (Dallas County, Texas)
Encyclopedia
North Lake is a reservoir
located in Dallas,Texas (USA
), 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Coppell
. North Lake Park is on its southern side.
annexed the land around the power plant and the lake.
In 1978, the lake began to be used for fishing as well. Fish did not survive well due to low nutrient levels, so in 1978 the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department began fertilizing the water and stocking it with bass
. The City of Irving, Texas
leased land south of the lake as a park in the 1980s and 1990s. North Lake Park was popular with jet ski
and enthusiasts and provided a runway for Radio-controlled aircraft
. The owner of the lake, power company TXU
, turned down offers in 2000 to sell the land to the cities of Coppell, Texas
or Irving, Texas
. Irving and Coppell were not willing to fund permanent facilities for the park as TXU granted access to the land only on a short-term lease. The park closed in 2000, ending all recreational use of the lake. The lake was thought to be closed, because of a high concentrate of amoeba
s, from the temperature of the plant's water output. A small dock and jet ski holding area was present in the fifth cove down.
, announced her intention to build up to 10,000 living units on the land. The area is officially in the city of Dallas but is part of the Coppell Independent School District
. Officials in Coppell, Texas
and Irving, Texas
strongly opposed the plan due to increased automobile traffic and the costs of building and maintaining new schools. After three years of litigation, the parties reached a settlement in 2008 that will allow development on the land. Coppell residents approved a bond measure in 2007, part of which would be used to fund the construction of new schools. The Subprime mortgage crisis
will likely postpone Billingsley's plans to develop the land until 2013. The lake is slowly being drained to about 13 feet deep, and the lake will be dredged as well as altered to meet the plan requirements if it is approved. Currently, the trees around the lake are being cut down.
, which overflows to a chute spillway. The dam had a leak in the North-east part of the dam, which was later patched. Coppell is lowering the water level, which will permanently stay at about 13 feet after 2012. Behind the dam is a low swamp area, and a new residential development zone.
at the regular pool level. The largest island, which is above water, has a shoreline of about 325 feet.The bottom of the lake is generally sandy, with some occasional mud. When the park was opened, a large floating water ski ramp was placed in the center of the lake, when opened to the public. Several no-ski buoys were placed in the south-west cove, because of the shallowness of the cove, it was a safety hazard. Some vegetation has been known to be present, although not enough to sustain fish. Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum
) was present at one time, but the sandy bottom made it hard for it to survive. The lake is fed by rain, run-off through the shallow valleys, but mostly by Grapevine Creek, a small stream nearly always flowing into the lake. The stream is located in the south-western cove. The only boat ramp on the lake, is on a small road facing Denton Tap Rd. The boat ramp had to be discontinued, because of the uneven surface of ground it was on, and the unstable ground around it.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
located in Dallas,Texas (USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Coppell
Coppell, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile...
. North Lake Park is on its southern side.
History
The lake area was once a large bowl-like valley, that was being used for farming. Construction on North Lake Dam began in 1956 and the dam was complete in August 1957. Many of the trees where the lake was to be buillt, were cut down, although a few small structures still exist. The reservoir was designed as a cooling reservoir for a Dallas Power and Light Company electric power plant. At that time, the City of Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
annexed the land around the power plant and the lake.
In 1978, the lake began to be used for fishing as well. Fish did not survive well due to low nutrient levels, so in 1978 the Dallas Parks and Recreation Department began fertilizing the water and stocking it with bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
. The City of Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
leased land south of the lake as a park in the 1980s and 1990s. North Lake Park was popular with jet ski
Jet ski
Jet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The name is sometimes mistakenly used by those unfamiliar with the personal watercraft industry to refer to any type of personal watercraft; however, the name is a valid trademark registered with the...
and enthusiasts and provided a runway for Radio-controlled aircraft
Radio-controlled aircraft
A radio-controlled aircraft is controlled remotely by a hand-held transmitter and a receiver within the craft...
. The owner of the lake, power company TXU
TXU
Energy Future Holdings Corporation is an electric utility company headquartered in Energy Plaza in Downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. The company was known as TXU until its $45 billion leveraged buyout by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Texas Pacific Group and Goldman Sachs...
, turned down offers in 2000 to sell the land to the cities of Coppell, Texas
Coppell, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile...
or Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
. Irving and Coppell were not willing to fund permanent facilities for the park as TXU granted access to the land only on a short-term lease. The park closed in 2000, ending all recreational use of the lake. The lake was thought to be closed, because of a high concentrate of amoeba
Amoeba
Amoeba is a genus of Protozoa.History=The amoeba was first discovered by August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof in 1757. Early naturalists referred to Amoeba as the Proteus animalcule after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his shape...
s, from the temperature of the plant's water output. A small dock and jet ski holding area was present in the fifth cove down.
Development Controversy
The Billingsley Company, a Texas land developer, purchased land south of the lake in 2004. Lucy Billingsley, daughter of Trammell CrowTrammell Crow
F. Trammell Crow was an American real estate developer. Crow is credited for creating several famous real estate projects, including Dallas Market Center, Peachtree Center , and San Francisco's Embarcadero Center.-Biography:Crow was born in Dallas, Texas...
, announced her intention to build up to 10,000 living units on the land. The area is officially in the city of Dallas but is part of the Coppell Independent School District
Coppell Independent School District
The Coppell Independent School District is a public school district based in Coppell, Texas .The district includes most of Coppell and small parts of Grapevine, Irving and Lewisville....
. Officials in Coppell, Texas
Coppell, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile...
and Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...
strongly opposed the plan due to increased automobile traffic and the costs of building and maintaining new schools. After three years of litigation, the parties reached a settlement in 2008 that will allow development on the land. Coppell residents approved a bond measure in 2007, part of which would be used to fund the construction of new schools. The Subprime mortgage crisis
Subprime mortgage crisis
The U.S. subprime mortgage crisis was one of the first indicators of the late-2000s financial crisis, characterized by a rise in subprime mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures, and the resulting decline of securities backed by said mortgages....
will likely postpone Billingsley's plans to develop the land until 2013. The lake is slowly being drained to about 13 feet deep, and the lake will be dredged as well as altered to meet the plan requirements if it is approved. Currently, the trees around the lake are being cut down.
Dam and reservoir
North Lake has an embankment damEmbankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
, which overflows to a chute spillway. The dam had a leak in the North-east part of the dam, which was later patched. Coppell is lowering the water level, which will permanently stay at about 13 feet after 2012. Behind the dam is a low swamp area, and a new residential development zone.
Islands and water
Several islands are located on the lake, however, most of them are submergedSubmerged
Submerged is an action film, released in 2005. The film stars Steven Seagal, Christine Adams, William Hope, Gary Daniels, Alison King and Vinnie Jones. The film was directed by British director Anthony Hickox.- Plot :...
at the regular pool level. The largest island, which is above water, has a shoreline of about 325 feet.The bottom of the lake is generally sandy, with some occasional mud. When the park was opened, a large floating water ski ramp was placed in the center of the lake, when opened to the public. Several no-ski buoys were placed in the south-west cove, because of the shallowness of the cove, it was a safety hazard. Some vegetation has been known to be present, although not enough to sustain fish. Coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum
Ceratophyllum demersum
Ceratophyllum demersum is a species of Ceratophyllum. It is a submerged, free-floating aquatic plant, native to North America but nowadays having a cosmopolitan distribution in temperate and tropical regions...
) was present at one time, but the sandy bottom made it hard for it to survive. The lake is fed by rain, run-off through the shallow valleys, but mostly by Grapevine Creek, a small stream nearly always flowing into the lake. The stream is located in the south-western cove. The only boat ramp on the lake, is on a small road facing Denton Tap Rd. The boat ramp had to be discontinued, because of the uneven surface of ground it was on, and the unstable ground around it.