LCRA's oldest
Buchanan Dam
Two-mile long structure creates Lake Buchanan
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Buchanan Dam, owned by LCRA, creates Lake Buchanan.
The 70-year-old structure is an architectural rarity. Stretching for more than two miles, Buchanan is considered the longest multiple-arch dam in the nation. Builders no longer use the design because the amount of labor required makes construction too expensive. Today's dams require far less labor, but a thousand times more materials.
Buchanan lake and dam were the first completed in the Highland Lakes chain and were built primarily to store water and supply hydroelectricity. They are named for U.S. Rep. J.P. Buchanan, who helped secure federal funds to complete the project after the original builder declared bankruptcy. LCRA completed construction from 1935 to 1937.
For information about parks on Lake Buchanan, see map of parks and preserves.
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