Bachman Reservoir - 2022 Survey Report

Prepared by Raphael Brock, Thomas Hungerford and Cynthia Fox Holt
Inland Fisheries Division - DallasFort Worth District

This is the authors' summary from a 26-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Bachman Lake and the surrounding area is currently undergoing a major, multi-focal rehabilitation and enhancement project. The project includes hydraulic dredging in the reservoir and dam and spillway repairs. Dredging began in 2022 which led to the City of Dallas prohibiting all boating access to the reservoir. As such, fish populations in Bachman Lake have not been surveyed since the 2018-2019 sampling surveys. This project does not require dewatering of the reservoir; therefore, we do not anticipate loss of the fishery or any major negative impacts to the fish community. This report contains a summary of the progress of the reservoir rehabilitation project, some historical (2018-2019) fishery data, and a management plan for the reservoir based on that information.

Reservoir Description

Bachman Lake is a 132-acre reservoir located on Bachman Branch, a tributary of the Trinity River, constructed in 1903 by the City of Dallas for water supply. The reservoir is currently used for recreation only and is no longer used as a water supply. The watershed is primarily industrial with a major airport, Dallas Love Field, located next to the reservoir. Habitat was composed mainly of shoreline emergent vegetation in the form of water willow and bulkhead in the form of rock gabions. One, single-lane public ramp provides boating access to the reservoir. Prolonged siltation decreased the depth of the upper half of the reservoir making it virtually inaccessible to boaters. A major rehabilitation and enhancement plan was approved for Bachman Lake and the surrounding area in 2021. The rehabilitation portion of the plan included dredging the shallow, upper half of the reservoir and repairing the dam and spillway. Hydraulic dredging of the upper reservoir was completed in 2023. The dam and spillway repair plan has been approved and is currently out for bid. Bachman Lake will be open to boaters during the dam and spillway repair work. The dam and spillway repair work is expected to be completed in 2025. Water level data is not available for Bachman Reservoir, but little fluctuation of water level occurs.

Management History

Important sport fish have historically included Largemouth Bass and White Crappie. All fish species have been managed by statewide regulations.

Fish Community

The fish community of Bachman Lake has not been surveyed since 2018-2019 due to the ongoing major renovation project by the City of Dallas.

• Prey species: Shad and Bluegill were abundant prior to the renovation project, with most individuals of both species being available to sport fish as forage.
• Catfishes: Channel Catfish were present in low abundance with limited recruitment prior to renovation.
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass were abundant with high numbers of legal-sized fish in excellent condition available to anglers prior to renovation.
• White Crappie: White Crappie were moderately abundant with legal-sized fish in good condition available to anglers prior to renovation.

Management Strategies

• Fish surveys will resume on Bachman Lake during Fall 2024, approximately one year before the rehabilitation project is complete.
• We will maintain contact with City of Dallas Parks and Recreation, Dallas Water Utilities and other stakeholder groups to offer guidance for fisheries habitat enhancement activities that may arise during dam and spillway repair.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-5 Inland Fisheries Division Monitoring and Management Program