Texas Almanac, 1986-1987 Page: 39
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WATER RESOURCES 39
(Rattus rattus, Linnaeus) are probably the most com-
mon and the most destructive. Some of the species are
native, and others, notably the Norway rat, are invad-
ers. The common house mouse (Mus musculis Linnae-
us) is estimated in the hundreds of millions annually.
The rare Guadalupe Mountain vole (Microtus mexi-
canus guadalupensis Bailey) is found only in the Gua-
dalupe Mountains National Park and just over the bor-
der into New Mexico.
RINGTAIL.-The ringtail, (Bassariscus astutus Lich-
tenstein) is found generally in wooded areas west of the
Trinity and in the broken sections of the Edwards Pla-
teau. It is a valuable fur-bearing mammal.
SHEEP.-The barbary, or Aoudad, sheep (Ammotra-
gus lervia Pallas), first introduced to the Palo Duro
Canyon area in 1957-58, have. become firmly estab-
lished. Barbary sheep have been introduced into many
areas of Texas, but are designated as game animals in
only eight counties of the Panhandle surrounding Palo
Duro.Canyon. Efforts are now under way by the Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department to establish the desert
bighorn (Ovis canadensis Shaw) in range formerly
occupied.
SHREW.-Three species are, found in Texas, the
northern short-tailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda Say),
the least shrew (Cryptotis parva Say) and the desert
shrew (Notiosorex crawfordi Coues). The first-men-
tioned is rarer, occurring in the Big Thicket. The least
shrew is found generally in South Central and East
Texas. The gray shrew is found in very limited numbers
in the semiarid areas of West Texas and along the
border.
SKUNK.-There are six species of skunk in Texas.
The Eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius Rafines-
que) is found throughout North Texas. A small skunk, it
is often erroneously called civet cat. This skunk also is
found in East Texas and the Gulf area. The Western
spotted skunk (Spilogale gracilis Merriam) is found in
the central, western and southern parts of the state. The
long-tailed, or broad-striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis
Schreber) is found in many parts of the state, usually
along streams or in wooded area. The hooded skunk
(Mephitis macroura Lichtenstein) is found in limitednumbers in the Trans-Pecos mountains. The Gulf Coast
hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus leuconotus Lichtenstein),
found, in the Brownsville area, ranges southward into
Mexico. The mountain hog-nosed skunk (Conepatus
mesoleucus Lichtenstein) is found in sparsely timbered
areas of Edwards Plateau, Central Texas, Trans-Pecos.
SQUIRREL.-The fox squirrel (Sciurus niger Lin-
naeus) is found throughout East, Central and West Cen-
tral Texas. The gray, or cat squirrel (Sciurus carolinen-
sis Gmelin) is found generally in the eastern third of the
state. The flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans Linnaeus)
is widely distributed in' the Piney Woods and the East
Texas Post Oak Belt.
WEASEL.-The brindled or long-tailed weasel (Mus-
tela frenata Lichtenstein), akin to the mink, is found in
the Panhandle-Plains and South Texas.
WOLF.-The red wolf (Canis rufus Audubon) was
once found over a wide range in Eastern and Central
Texas. It is now considered extirpated from the wild
with the only known remnants of the population now in
captive propagation. The gray wolf (Canis lupus Lin-
naeus) once had a wide range over Central, Southern
and Western Texas. It has been reduced almost to ex-
tinction. The red wolf aid gray wolf are listed on the
federal and state rare and endangered species lists; the
few gray wolves which may be encountered in Texas
are believed to be occasional individuals crossing over
from Mexico.
Reptiles
Most of the more than 100 species of snakes found in
Texas are beneficial as also are other reptiles. There
are 15 poisonous species and subspecies and there are
more cases of snakebite reported in Texas than any
other state. Principal poisonous reptiles include three
kinds of copperheads (Southern, Broadbanded and
Trans-Pecos); one kind of cottonmouth; 10 kinds of rat-
tlesnakes (western massasauga, desert massasauga,
western pigmy, western diamondback, timber, banded
rock, mottled rock, blacktailed, Mojave and prairie);
and the Texas coral snake.
Also noteworthy are the horned lizard; the vinegar-
roon, a type of whip scorpion, also harmless; tarantulas,
a hairy spider; and alligators.LAKES AND RESERVOIRS
The large increase in the number of reservoirs in Texas during the past half-century has greatly improved
water conservation and supplies. As late as 1913, Texas had only eight major reservoirs with a total storage capacity
of 376,000 acre-feet. Most of this capacity was in Medina Lake, with 254,000 acre-feet capacity, created by a dam
completed in May, 1913.
By 1920, Texas had 11 major reservoirs with combined storage capacity of 449,710 acre-feet. The state water
agency reported 32 reservoirs and 1,284,520 acre-feet capacity in 1930; 47 reservoirs with 5,369,550 acre-feet capacity
in 1940; 66 with 9,623,870 acre-feet capacity by 1950; 105 with total capacity of 22,746,200 in 1960; 149 with total capacity
of 51,086,200 in 1970; 168 with total capacity of 53,302,400 in 1980. In January, 1983; Texas had 189 major reservoirs
existing or under construction, with a total capacity near 58.6 million acre-feet, of which 38.4 million acre-feet was
conservation storage, 17.8 million acre-feet was flood control storage and 2.4 million acre-feet was considered
inactive.
The following table lists reservoirs in Texas having more than 5,000 acre-feet capacity. A few locally significant
reservoirs of less capacity are not included. With few exceptions, the listed reservoirs are those that were complet-
ed by Jan. 1, 1985 and in use. An asterisk (*) indicates those that are under construction.
There are about 5,700 reservoirs in Texas with the surface areas of 10 acres or larger; however, conservation
water storage capacity in the listed reservoirs represents about 97 percent of total conservation water storage
capacity in all Texas reservoirs.
Conservation storage capacity is used in the table below; the surface area used is-that area at conservation
elevation only. (Different methods of computing capacity are used; detailed information may be obtained from
Texas Department of Water Resources, Austin; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or local sources.) Also, it should be
noted that boundary reservoir capacities include water designated for Texas use and non-Texas water.
In the list below, information is given in the following order: (1) Name of lake or reservoir; (2) county or
counties in which located; (3) river or creek on which located; (4) location with respect to some city or town; (5)
purpose of reservoir; (6) owner of reservoir. Some of these items, when not listed, are not available. For the larger
lakes and reservoirs, the dam impounding water to form the lake bears the same name, unless otherwise indicated.
Abbreviations in list below are as follows: L., lake; R., river; Co., county; Cr., creek; (C) conservation; (FC) flood
control; (R) recreation; (P) power; (M) municipal; (D) domestic; (Ir.) irrigation); (In.) industry; (Mi.) mining
including oil production; (FH) fish hatchery; USAE, United States Army Corps of Engineers; WC&ID, Water Control
and Improvement District; WID, Water Improvement District; USBR, United States Bureau of Reclamation.Lakes and Reservoirs
Conservation
Conservation Storage
Surface Capacity
Area (Acres) (Acre-Ft.)Abilene L.-Taylor Co.; Elm Cr.; 6 mi. NW Tuscola; (M-In.-R); City of Abilene ........
Addicks Reservoir.-Harris Co.; S. Mayde and Langham Crs.; 1 mi. E. Addicks; (for flood
control only); USAE .................................................
Alcoa L.-Milam Co.; Sandy Cr.; 7 mi. SW Rockdale; (In.-R); Aluminum Co. of America .
Amistad Reservoir.-Val Verde Co.; Rio Grande, dam between Del Rio and confluence of
Rio Grande and Devils River; an international project of the U.S. and Mexico; 12 mi.
NW Del Rio; (C-R-Ir.-P-FC); International Boundary and Water Com. (Texas' share of
conservation capacity is 56.2 percent.) ...................................7,900
0
14,75064,900 3,383,900
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Texas Almanac, 1986-1987, book, 1985; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth113818/m1/41/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.