Hearing more and more rumors that the State is trying to buy the Gibbons Creek Prop. and make a new State Park. According to my two sources there are some environmental issues that are preventing the sale of homes in the area. I hope this is true and the State steps up to the plate. The area needs another good lake and camping area. Seems they like to place lakes in the DFW region and let the Brazos Valley and below suck hind teat.
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Gibbons Creek Reservoir
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Last: 15 min ago by TarponChaser
Let's hope so. Hated to see the public lose access.
Let's all hope so....
I was fairly certain a BTC miner bought the plant with plans to convert to NG turbines.
I really can't see the state trying to make a park out of it though. There's just not enough land to host many campers. They can't build anything on the emergency spillway, so that only leaves the small area between the swimming area and the boat ramp for prime spots. I guess they could do something on the back side of the dam, but that's not ideal.
A group has bought up a butt load of land adjacent to the formerthe pit man said:
I really can't see the state trying to make a park out of it though. There's just not enough land to host many campers. They can't build anything on the emergency spillway, so that only leaves the small area between the swimming area and the boat ramp for prime spots. I guess they could do something on the back side of the dam, but that's not ideal.
TMPA property that could be used.
They completely demolished the plant
Unrelated, but I worked out there during my junior and senior year as a student co-op sort of position. I started a few months after the initial shut down and was there the summer they powered back up ('18 I think). It was such a cool place, and it was pretty well the same group of people who ran the entire plant from the time it was built until it was shut down. They had a very well documented photo history of the plant inside offices that I hope made it out with someone.
If you think fishing the discharge is good, you should see what it's like on the other side of the causeway, the spillway and back in the old mine containment ponds over on the other side of highway 30 from the plant. You have to try to not reel in 5+ pound bass! Also, the entire property is crawling with gators.
If you think fishing the discharge is good, you should see what it's like on the other side of the causeway, the spillway and back in the old mine containment ponds over on the other side of highway 30 from the plant. You have to try to not reel in 5+ pound bass! Also, the entire property is crawling with gators.
oklaunion said:A group has bought up a butt load of land adjacent to the formerthe pit man said:
I really can't see the state trying to make a park out of it though. There's just not enough land to host many campers. They can't build anything on the emergency spillway, so that only leaves the small area between the swimming area and the boat ramp for prime spots. I guess they could do something on the back side of the dam, but that's not ideal.
TMPA property that could be used.
They might have a environmental problem with some of that land adjacent to the old plant site...
806aggie18 said:
They completely demolished the plant
Flew over it the other day. Just a dirty black spot.
Was lucky enough to have occasional access to one of those pits south of 30 and the fishing was incredible. Also kind of odd but there was another pit on the other side of the dam where the conveyor belt was and we would sneak in there and fish off the dam. One day there were a ton of big fish spawning along that dam. I remember throwing them on the bank to take them home to eat. We spotted a truck coming way down the road so we grabbed all the bass in a bear hug and ran over to the other side. I tripped going back down the dam on the side we could fish and bass went everywhere. I just kept down until the truck drove by. Those were the outlaw days a long time ago. Duck hunting was fabulous in there also. The gators didn't show up until years later. I went back there once about ten years later and saw some. The old lady that owned it has long since passed so that place is just memories.
Can't imagine how good the fishing might be after years of no pressure and regular water temps.
Almost died there. Good times!
If the pit man says something about an environmental problem in a certain area, my instinct is to take that to heart.the pit man said:They might have a environmental problem with some of that land adjacent to the old plant site...oklaunion said:A group has bought up a butt load of land adjacent to the formerthe pit man said:
I really can't see the state trying to make a park out of it though. There's just not enough land to host many campers. They can't build anything on the emergency spillway, so that only leaves the small area between the swimming area and the boat ramp for prime spots. I guess they could do something on the back side of the dam, but that's not ideal.
TMPA property that could be used.
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It's an awesome lake! Caught my biggest bass ever there on a big spinnerbait while I was going to A&M. 10.5 lbs.
Would be an excellent public lake. On of my lifetime favorites. Of course I got to fish it when it was really really good before they dropped the lake level to convert to lignite....never was as good after that.
This would be great news. It's 9 miles from my house. I'd fish there a lot w my kids if there was public access.
Anyone have any connections to get on that water so I can provide a freshwater fishing report?
Anyone have any connections to get on that water so I can provide a freshwater fishing report?
cords12 said:
It's an awesome lake! Caught my biggest bass ever there on a big spinnerbait while I was going to A&M. 10.5 lbs.
Nice. Never caught a 10 there, or anywhere else. But did catch a couple sevens at GC. Very nice lake.
At Walmart, I asked a guy if he was a fisherman. He said he wasn't - he just lived on a private lake. Then he complained about people sneaking in to fish from his dock.
Gibbons Creek is a well-known fishing lake, centrally located near major Texas cities. The lack of camping doesn't matter, it should remain open to the public.
Fishing is a billion-dollar industry. If Gibbons Creek had public access, the resulting threefold increase in hotel tax revenue for BCS could eliminate additional taxes for homeowners. Tournaments, holidays, and business conferences with fishing opportunities would generate year-round economic activity, much like game-day rentals, only 365 days a year.
Instead, this Central Texas treasure is being locked away behind million-dollar homes owned by people who don't even fish.
The Bryan City Council's executive sessions could be key to challenging the sale of this land to developers. If these closed-door meetings were used to withhold critical information from the public, the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) could be used to nullify the sale.
You don't have to be a fisherman to care about reversing the privatization of Gibbons Creek Lake. In Bryan, 46% of homes are investor-owned. AirBnB hosts should push for public access, it would triple their rental income from visiting anglers. Restaurant owners should get involved too. Fishermen don't always eat what they catch, and their families will want places to relax and dine while Bob is out on the water.
If TOMA doesn't reveal misconduct in the Bryan City Council's executive sessions, then consider land reclamation laws. Regulations state that reclaimed land shouldn't be parceled out for development until at least seven years after the reclamation process is complete.
Maybe the sale to a developer made someone some money, but "they" are not making any new places to fish in Texas. Keep Gibbons Creek public.
And get rid of the gators. Ask Disney World how safe people are when they had gators around the public.
Gibbons Creek is a well-known fishing lake, centrally located near major Texas cities. The lack of camping doesn't matter, it should remain open to the public.
Fishing is a billion-dollar industry. If Gibbons Creek had public access, the resulting threefold increase in hotel tax revenue for BCS could eliminate additional taxes for homeowners. Tournaments, holidays, and business conferences with fishing opportunities would generate year-round economic activity, much like game-day rentals, only 365 days a year.
Instead, this Central Texas treasure is being locked away behind million-dollar homes owned by people who don't even fish.
The Bryan City Council's executive sessions could be key to challenging the sale of this land to developers. If these closed-door meetings were used to withhold critical information from the public, the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) could be used to nullify the sale.
You don't have to be a fisherman to care about reversing the privatization of Gibbons Creek Lake. In Bryan, 46% of homes are investor-owned. AirBnB hosts should push for public access, it would triple their rental income from visiting anglers. Restaurant owners should get involved too. Fishermen don't always eat what they catch, and their families will want places to relax and dine while Bob is out on the water.
If TOMA doesn't reveal misconduct in the Bryan City Council's executive sessions, then consider land reclamation laws. Regulations state that reclaimed land shouldn't be parceled out for development until at least seven years after the reclamation process is complete.
Maybe the sale to a developer made someone some money, but "they" are not making any new places to fish in Texas. Keep Gibbons Creek public.
And get rid of the gators. Ask Disney World how safe people are when they had gators around the public.
Previous post is weird. New bot account posting about a local lake. But why?
Sometimes posting at 1am is not the best idea.
oklaunion said:
Sometimes posting at 1am is not the best idea.
Might be right. 7 edits. Maybe not AI. Maybe just drunk sock.
I was hoping I could buy a lot on Gibbons Creek when it does develop. Keep the gators. Growing up in Southeast Texas and previously living in Florida I find it comical people are afraid of them.
I had heard from a colleague that the issue may be a perceived legal battle between families of the original landowners that had their land taken by eminent domain when they were originally planning the project.
The land was taken for the purpose of the power plant, not any recreational need…..and to now sell the land for private development supposedly violates all kinds of things for those original landowners.
Maybe somebody with any knowledge of such can post some comments?
The land was taken for the purpose of the power plant, not any recreational need…..and to now sell the land for private development supposedly violates all kinds of things for those original landowners.
Maybe somebody with any knowledge of such can post some comments?
Interesting. I actually made a phone call to the company listed as the purchaser that I found just searching google called Charah Solutions. It looks like they are the one that did the remediation work out there but the guy I spoke with said it has sold to a group called Gibbons Lake and Land. He gave me the guys phone number but I have not called him as of yet. I actually was not joking about buying a lot out there but it seems it may be a ways away from that happening from a development standpoint. What you mentioned above might be the reason. Sounds like a reasonable argument for the original landowners if they have the money to buy it back. It's going to be an interesting thing with that lake as I'm guessing they have to pump water in to keep it at a reasonable pool. I am not sure how that will work if it is just private lots? And the cost may be prohibitive to do that?Gunny456 said:
I had heard from a colleague that the issue may be a perceived legal battle between families of the original landowners that had their land taken by eminent domain when they were originally planning the project.
The land was taken for the purpose of the power plant, not any recreational need…..and to now sell the land for private development supposedly violates all kinds of things for those original landowners.
Maybe somebody with any knowledge of such can post some comments?
IDK Achgill sounds pretty wack soberCS78 said:oklaunion said:
Sometimes posting at 1am is not the best idea.
Might be right. 7 edits. Maybe not AI. Maybe just drunk sock.
I was fortunate to fish it the other day (friend of a friend of a friend type deal). From what I was told they were in the process of selling it last year (possibly to the state) but it fell through. For now they are holding it for the foreseeable future. Water rights seems to be the main issue.
Oh and the fishing was awesome.
Oh and the fishing was awesome.
It still bums me out that the public lost access to GC. I grew up fishing it in the 80's & early-90's and then fished it almost every week throughout my time at A&M in the late-90's. Never caught an official 10-pounder out of there but had a couple that were probably pretty close. Can't even count how many 5-7 pounders I caught.
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