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LAKE BRIDGEPORT.
Lake Bridgeport, formerly known as Bridgeport Reservoir, is on
the West Fork of the Trinity River in the Trinity River basin
five miles west of Bridgeport in western Wise County (at 33°13'
N, 97°52' W). The project is owned and operated by the Tarrant
County Water Control and Improvement District Number 1. Lake Bridgeport
was built for the proposed Trinity River canalization plan and
was completed in December 1931 at an estimated cost of $2 million.
In conjunction with Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth, Lake Bridgeport
controls the floodwaters of the West Fork of the Trinity River.
The lake is 1,850 feet long and was designed primarily for flood
control, water storage, and recreation. The crest of the spillway
is 826.2 feet above mean sea level. The lake has a conservation
storage capacity of 270,900 acre-feet and covers a surface area
of 10,400 acres. The drainage area above the dam is 1,111 square
miles. Water stored in the lake is used for municipal, industrial,
and agricultural purposes. Construction of the dam helped prevent
seasonal flooding of rich farmland in western Wise County and
stimulated land development along the lakeshores, including the
communities of Lakevue Estates, Lake Bridgeport, and Runaway Bay.
Marinas, excellent fishing, and lakeside parks have transformed
nearby Bridgeport into a prosperous commercial and resort community.
The terrain surrounding the lake is characterized by resistant
ledges and low cuestasqv with shallow, stony soils. Vegetation consists primarily of live
oak, juniper, and grasses.
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