Before 1965, the free-flowing Canadian River ran across a sandy bottom enclosed by steep canyon walls. When the Sanford Dam was completed in 1965, this free-flowing stream ceased to exist and was replaced by the lake. Before this time, there was only the Riparian habitat of the stream bed. Today, there are seven habitats at Lake Meredith, each with its own component of life.
Lake Meredith Habitats
NPS
Habitat No. One
The Lake
Lake Meredith is a deep-water lake that ranges between 70- 90 ft. in depth. It has extreme fluctuations and has been as low as 26.14 ft. The record high was in April 1973, with a depth of 101.85. Lake Meredith has been stocked by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department with fish such as Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Sand Bass, Crappie, Trout, and Yellow Perch. Fish native to the Canadian River are Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, Yellow, and Flathead Catfish. Lake Meredith was impounded in 1965 and provides water for 11 cities in the Texas Panhandle. This aquatic habitat also supports fall and spring migratory birds as well as other types of wildlife.
Spring Canyon Basin
NPS Photo
Habitat No. Two
The Wetlands
In the event the flood gates at Lake Meredith must be opened, a deep pool or stilling basin has been created behind the Sandford Dam. This pool is about 70-80 ft. deep and many fish from the lake can be found here. In addition, Rainbow Trout are regularly stocked and have established a year-round breeding population. Spring water provides a key building block for a complex community of plants and animals. This area looks very different from the lake and prairie ecosystems. Insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals frequent the wetlands. There is also a birding area specifically built for birders.
Marsh at Chimney Hollow
NPS Photo
Habitat No. Three
The Freshwater Marsh
When Sanford Dam was completed, the flow along the Canadian River was stopped and only what naturally filters through the soil continued downstream. The reduced flow has created an extensive marshland with cattails, willows, cottonwoods, reeds, and other aquatic vegetation. Beavers and Muskrats frequent this area and build lodges near the open channels. Beavers eat vegetation only and are herbivores. They enjoy vegetation such as twigs, foliage, bark, and aquatic plants found in this area. Wood Ducks, Mallards, Sandhill Cranes, and other migratory birds winter in the flooded bottomland marshes.
Canadian Breaks
NPS Photo
Habitat No. Four
Canadian River Breaks
The high stream-cut walls of the Canadian River form an extensive system of cliff faces and canyons known as the Canadian River Breaks. This area of broken land is virtually unchanged from prehistoric times. Mesquite, Narrow-leaf Yucca, and various grasses are interspersed with Lemon Sumac in this habitat. Millions of years of erosion have carved a series of canyons, mesas, and draws through the landscape of relatively flat plains. These rocks and mesas reveal a story nearly 300 million years in the making.
Big Blue Stem Grasses
NPS Photo
Habitat No. Five
High Grasslands
The mesa tops above the Canadian River Breaks have extensive areas of grassland. These high grasslands have often been overgrazed by animals in the past. The ratio of grass to shrubs and non-woody plants has changed due to pressure from cattle. Cattle are fenced in and cannot move when the food supply is depleted. The American Bison, or Buffalo, did not overgraze this area and the grass had a chance to recover. Common high grasses are Grama grasses, Buffalo Grass, Sand Dropseed, Vine Mesquite, and Indian Grass. There are four primary grasses of the “True Plains” grazed by livestock. Indian Grass, Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, and Blue Grama. These grasses easily adapt to open plains and mesas.
Riparian Area near Chimney Hollow
NPS Photo
Habitat No. Six –
Riparian Areas
Stream-side vegetation and bottomlands are known as Riparian Areas. Along the Canadian River, 50 miles of this habitat existed before the flooding of the Sanford Dam. The Riparian habitat around the lake has become more unusual. Common plants in this area include:
Trees
Cottonwood
Hackberry
Western Soapberry
One-seed Juniper
Juniper- Red Berry
Salt Cedar
Willow Baccharis
Desert Willow
Eastern Red Cedar
Honey-Locust
Osage Orange
Russian Olive
Siberian Elm
Grasses
Indiangrass
Switchgrass
Big Blue Stem
Western Wheatgrass
Wild Rye
Other Plants
Golden Current
Sand Plum
Lemon Sumac
Licorice
Scarlet Globemallow
Texas Skeleton Plant
Illinois Bundleflower
Shoreline Habitat
NPS Photo
Habitat No. Seven
Lakeshore
The Lakeshore area has been exposed by the fluctuations of lake levels throughout the years. This area has been invaded by the exotic species Tamarisk, or Salt Cedar. In other places, the lakeshore has exposed rock or soil with the potential for extensive erosion. When the lakeshore meets the inner walls of the canyons of the Canadian River, soil causes large areas to drop down. This process is called slumping. In a wild, healthy setting, lakeshores encompass their own little ecosystem and have unique conditions. Therefore, lakeshores seem to have the most interesting plant and animal life. Plants growing in and near the water are critical for wildlife, fish habitat, and a healthy lakeshore. Tall plants, like cattails, can reduce the energy wave action to minimize erosion and help maintain water quality. Plants along the lakeshore:
Milkweed
Vervain
Chokecherry
Black-eyed Susan
Sedges
Willow Baccharis
Cane Reed
Cardinal Flower
Wafer Ash
Eastern Cottonwood
Spring Canyon Wetlands
NPS Photo
Ecosystems
Freshwater ecosystems support worms, mollusks, crayfish, and insect larvae as well as fish. These species burrow into muddy parts of Lake Meredith and the Canadian River. Birds and mammals nest and feed in the wetlands at Spring Canyon. Reeds along the shoreline shelter frogs and other amphibians. Some freshwater systems are endangered habitats due to human development, pollution, and climate change. Planting trees along the lakeshore can help buffer the lake from the impacts of development.
Keep Lake Meredith "picture perfect" by protecting its natural shoreline.Grassland ecosystems are fragile because planting of agriculture crops and few are protected from development. Grasslands account for between 20 and 40 percent of the world's land area. They are generally flat and exist on every continent except Antarctica. Pressure of human populations make them. Threats to natural grasslands at Lake Meredith National Recreation include the growth of invasive species and climate change.
These grasslands also face environmental threats of drought and fire.Wetland ecosystems at Lake Meredith can be located at Spring Canyon, Harbor Bay, Bugby Canyon, and Mullinaw Trail. These wetlands are one of nature’s most productive ecosystems. They clean and recharge groundwater; reduce the damaging impacts of floods; enhance wildlife habitat; sequester carbon; and create diverse recreation opportunities such as hunting, fishing, birdwatching, and canoeing. At Spring Canyon, wetlands provide food and shelter for wildlife, insects, and birds.
