Inks Lake is a

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

on the

Colorado River The Colorado River () is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The river, the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), 5th longest in the United St ...

in the Texas Hill Country in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The reservoir was formed in 1938 by the construction of Inks Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority. Located near Burnet, Texas, the lake serves to provide

flood control Flood management or flood control are methods used to reduce or prevent the detrimental effects of flood waters. Flooding can be caused by a mix of both natural processes, such as extreme weather upstream, and human changes to waterbodies and ru ...

in tandem with Lake Buchanan and features the smallest

hydroelectric power Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...

plant on the Highland Lakes chain. Inks Lake was named for Roy B. Inks, one of the original board members of the Lower Colorado River Authority, and serves as a venue for outdoor recreation, including fishing, boating, swimming, camping, and picnicking. The other reservoirs on the

are Lake Buchanan, Lake LBJ, Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, Lake Austin, and Lady Bird Lake.

Fish and wildlife populations

Inks Lake has been stocked with several species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish present in Inks Lake include largemouth bass,

white bass The white bass, silver bass, or sand bass (''Morone chrysops'') is a freshwater fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae. commonly around 12–15 inches long. The species' main color is silver-white to pale green. Its back is dark, with whit ...

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order (biology), order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Catfish are common name, named for their prominent barbel (anatomy), barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, though not ...

, crappie, and sunfish. Inks Lake is a level-controlled reservoir with less than one foot (one third meter) variation in water level annually.

Recreational uses

Some of the property bordering Inks Lake is privately owned. Inks Lake State Park is adjacent to the lake and includes facilities for camping, backpacking, swimming, golf, and boat access. Cliff jumping is another water activity locals and visitors enjoy at "Devil's Water Hole" located within the confines of Inks Lake State Park on Inks Lake. In the 1990s and early 2000s, a fish restaurant was permanently moored adjacent to an RV park on a barge. The restaurant is closed, however the RV park remains. Camp Longhorn, a summer camp for boys and girls founded by Tex Robertson in 1939, is adjacent to the lake.

References

External links

Official LCRA Inks Lake web siteInks Lake

Inks Lake - Texas Parks & WildlifeInks Lake State Park
{{authority control Reservoirs in Texas Protected areas of Burnet County, Texas Protected areas of Llano County, Texas Infrastructure completed in 1938 Bodies of water of Burnet County, Texas Bodies of water of Llano County, Texas 1938 establishments in Texas Lower Colorado River Authority