| Amistad Reservoir | |
|---|---|
| Presa Amistad | |
 Amistad Dam and Reservoir | |
  Amistad Reservoir  Amistad Reservoir | |
| Location | Val Verde County,Texas,United States; Acuña Municipality,Coahuila, Mexico |
| Coordinates | 29°27′01″N101°03′28″W / 29.45028°N 101.05778°W /29.45028; -101.05778 |
| Type | Hydroelectricreservoir |
| Primary inflows | Rio Grande,Devils River |
| Primary outflows | Rio Grande |
| Basin countries | United States /Mexico |
| Managing agency | International Boundary and Water Commission |
| Built | November 1969 (1969-11) |
| Surface area | 64,900 acres (26,300 ha) |
| Max. depth | 217 ft (66 m) |
| Water volume | 5,658,600 acre⋅ft (6.9798 km3) |
| Surface elevation | 1,117 ft (340 m) |
Amistad Reservoir (Spanish:Presa Amistad) is areservoir on theRio Grande at its confluence with theDevils River 12 miles (19 km) northwest ofDel Rio,Texas. The lake is bounded byVal Verde County on theUnited States side of the international border and by the state ofCoahuila on theMexican side of the border; the American shoreline forms theAmistad National Recreation Area. The reservoir was formed in 1969 by the construction ofAmistad Dam. The dam and lake are managed jointly by the governments of the United States and Mexico through theInternational Boundary and Water Commission. The name of the dam and lake is theSpanish word for "friendship". The reservoir is also known asLake Amistad.
Amistad Reservoir is part of theRio Grande, which forms its principal inflow at its northwestern end. The other major inflow is theDevils River, which enters from the north. The reservoir occupies a series of meanders between the two rivers; its outflow passes throughAmistad Dam on the lake's southern side, from which the Rio Grande continues southeastward toward theGulf of Mexico. Since it is filled by the Rio Grande (and its tributaries, theRio Conchos andPecos River), Amistad'sdrainage basin includes a vast area ofWest Texas, centralNew Mexico, southernColorado, southeasternChihuahua, and northernCoahuila.
Amistad Reservoir is stocked with species of fish intended to improve the utility of the reservoir for recreational fishing. Fish found in Amistad Reservoir includelargemouth bass,smallmouth bass,Guadalupe bass, andcatfish. Substantial aquatic vegetation grows in the lake, primarilyhydrilla.[1]
TheAmistad gambusia, a fish speciesendemic to the area, was eliminated in the wild when the filling of the reservoir in 1969 submerged Goodenough Spring, its only known habitat, under about 70 feet (21 m) of water.[2] Two captive populations did not survive, and the fish was extinct by 1987.
The area now covered by the reservoir was long inhabited byIndigenous Americans, who sheltered in caves along the rivers and left numerouscave paintings. After theMexican–American War, American pioneers such asJohn Coffee Hays travelled through the area in developing a reliableroad from San Antonio to El Paso.[3]
A 1944 treaty between the United States and Mexico proposed the construction of a major dam and reservoir on the Rio Grande to provideflood control,water conservation,irrigation,hydroelectric power, and recreation to the area.[4]Amistad Dam's construction began in December 1964 and was completed in November 1969, after which the reservoir was filled, flooding a series of valleys around the confluence of the Rio Grande and the Devils River. The dam and the reservoir are managed by theInternational Boundary and Water Commission, which was established in 1889 by the governments of the United States and Mexico to maintain the border, allocate river waters between the two nations, and provide for flood control and water sanitation.
During the construction of the dam, the land around the American shore of the coming reservoir was designated as theAmistad National Recreation Area. The lake provides year-round, water-based recreation opportunities, includingboating,fishing,swimming,scuba diving, andwater-skiing, as well as other recreational opportunities for picnicking,camping, andhunting. The area is rich in archaeology and rock art, and contains a wide variety of plant and animal life. The lake is home to yearly nationally televised fishing tournaments. It is also near the flight path of USAF trainers.
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| Other | |
