All Things Austin Design

Lady Bird Lake is a reservoir that was created in the Colorado River and can be found in the center of Austin. This reservoir was created after the construction of the Longhorn Dam in 1960. This lake was created for several purposes such as being a cooling pond for the Holly Street Power Plant, a flood control facility and a recreational venue. The shoreline area of this lake is littered with hotels, apartments and dining places and is also lined with a beautiful hike and bike trail.

The Lady Bird Lake was formerly known as the Town Lake. The city made the name change to Lady Bird Lake in honor of the former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, a Central Texan resident. After a decade of existence, the Town Lake was severely neglected and became an eyesore to the city in the 1970s. It was through the efforts of then Mayor of Austin Roy Butler who went to partner with the former first lady that the lake was rehabilitated and the area around it was developed. With a cleaner lake and the incorporation of the hike and bike trail, Town Lake became a major recreational and tourist attraction for the city.

To pay tribute to the help extended by the former first lady, the City Council then passed a resolution on July 26, 2007 that changes the name of the lake from Town Lake to Lady Bird Lake. The resolution was passed one month after the death of Lady Bird Johnson.

One of the fascinating things about Austin is that you never have to travel far in order to access the most beautiful natural attraction sites. Lady Bird Lake, a beautiful reservoir of water in the Colorado River, lies just in the center of the city of Austin. It is a major recreation site that is bounded by the Lady Bird Hike and Bike Trail and many other hotels, apartment places and businesses. It also lies adjacent to the downtown Zilker Park and Barton Springs which is a major attraction for family gathering, picnicking and swimming. Because of the accessibility of the place, it makes it very attractive not only for local people but also for tourists coming to the city.

The Lady Bird Lake features a landscaped surrounding which can be credited to its famous benefactor, the former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson. The lake can be enjoyed by pursuing recreational water sports such as kayaking, canoeing and dragon boating. On the shoreline area, swimming can be undertaken in the Deep Eddy and Barton Springs Pools.

Recreational fishing can also be done in the lake as it is stocked with numerous species of fish. In 1990, however, consuming the fish caught in the lake was banned because there was chlordane toxicity in the water. Chlordane is a pesticide which is no longer produced since 1988. However, the after effects of this can be quite strong as it sticks to soil surfaces requiring many years before they can be completely eradicated. In 1999, the ban on fish consumption was finally lifted.