The (Real) Old Dam-Lacy Point#4 Traditional Cache

Most folks think that construction of the 1st, Lake Waco Dam began in 1928. But we have it on pretty good authority that right here where this cache is placed is really the real 1st and original dam for Lake Waco. We placed a cache here today to commemorate the real original dam even if no one else wants to recognize it. ;)

Construction of that other "original" dam cost $2,500,000 and was completed in 1929. It was 4,700 feet long and 65 feet high with a spillway elevation of 430 feet. The lake was feed by both the North Bosque & the South Bosque rivers. The lake had a surface area of 2,742 acres and it's normal storage capacity was 39,378 feet.

Interesting note: A lot of folks don't know that submerged under Lake Waco is the remains of an old small town. When construction of the dam on the Bosque River began in 1928, many homes, and some rural businesses had to be relocated or abandoned. So, under neath Lake Waco are still the remains of a small town.

Anyway, back to the dam story: By the mid-1940's accumulation of sediments were reducing the lakes capacity almost in half! So, A new dam project was started in June 1958; on "official" record this was dam #2.( but of course we know this was really dam #3.) The new dam was built pretty much on top of the old dam. (only a few hundred yards behind the 1928 dam) It was completed in 1965 for 53.6 million dollars. It was 24,618 feet long, 140 feet high and it's concrete spillway was 560 feet wide. This new lake covered over 19,440 acres and completely submerged the old lake. (Did you know that the new lake not only submerged the old lake, but it also submerged a golf course, some houses around the original lake, and some businesses.)

Anywho, the new lake normal storage capacity was 152,500 acre-feet. And at maximum flood stage the lake could now hold as much as 834,300 acre-feet. The lake was used for municipal purposes, recreation and for flood control and conservation.

In 1979 The City of Waco authorized a study for raising Lake Waco. In 1984 the COE's signed a contract to raise the lake by seven feet. This was formally approved in 1998 by Waco City Council. And in September of 2003 the impoundment of new water begins. We got a ton of rain in October 2003 and the lake quickly rose to it's new level of 462 feet above sea level. The 7 foot rise secured 79,000 acre-feet of dependable water supply from Lake Waco.

Okay , so , now that you know all of this, don't you want to come out and see Waco's real original dam? I admit it is a bit smaller than the dam finished in 1929 but it should still be a part of Lake Waco's history, shouldn't it? Of course it should!

Come on out and walk on this great structure that has survived all these years. How many years exactly , no one knows for sure...........but it's over 100 years old for sure!

The cache is a larger size camo'd "lock & lock" container filled with new swag, log book, pen, stash note, etc. It is tucked away in one of the natural crevices of the old dam . Please be sure to re camo it and to replace it so it will stay in the event of yet another flood.........this is the old dam ya know..........and it just can't hold the water back like our newest dam can!

Placed by a member of: