# Pre-fill Lake Livingston



## Danny O

As I was staring at my sonar yesterday, particularly at small submerged roads, I couldn't help but ask myself "what else is down there?" ....old tractors, barns, houses, etc. What was the protocol back in the 70's prior to the lake filling up? Has anybody found anything unusual?


----------



## Sunbeam

Danny, I have been here since Lake Livingston was called the Trinity River bottom.

It covered thousand of ponds, hundreds of miles of roads (most gravel) numerous bridges and even the remains of a large saw mill.

Most structures were demolished and the debris was burned. Nearly all of the timber went to the saw mills or paper factories. The timber in the creeks, sloughs and ox bow lake was left standing in the lower lake area. To muddy to get to it.
The TRA policy was to remove every thing that could be taken away or burned. I know where there are many concrete foundations of homes and barns. There is the remains of a concrete silo and dairy barn foundations just north of the old 190 river bridge on the east side. In the early '70s it was a very noticeable pile of concrete rubble. Normally covered in catfish. Now it is not very distinct due to silt cover. In fact most solid objects that were only one to two feet tall have disappeared under the silt.
In the first few years the river channel near and south of Pine Island averaged 65 feet deep. I don't think there are many places over 45 feet now.
The only structured that remain near unchanged is the 190 rd and the bridges on it.
The whole lake bed was once a very busy farming area. Many houses and out buildings but to find any of them on a fish finder is difficult.
If you are very interested then go to the USGA website and search for aerial photos before 1965. You will be surprised at what the lake covered.


----------



## Danny O

I was hoping you would respond, thanks Sunbeam.


----------



## Pasadena1944

Sunbeam said:


> Danny, I have been here since Lake Livingston was called the Trinity River bottom.
> 
> It covered thousand of ponds, hundreds of miles of roads (most gravel) numerous bridges and even the remains of a large saw mill.
> 
> Most structures were demolished and the debris was burned. Nearly all of the timber went to the saw mills or paper factories. The timber in the creeks, sloughs and ox bow lake was left standing in the lower lake area. To muddy to get to it.
> The TRA policy was to remove every thing that could be taken away or burned. I know where there are many concrete foundations of homes and barns. There is the remains of a concrete silo and dairy barn foundations just north of the old 190 river bridge on the east side. In the early '70s it was a very noticeable pile of concrete rubble. Normally covered in catfish. Now it is not very distinct due to silt cover. In fact most solid objects that were only one to two feet tall have disappeared under the silt.
> In the first few years the river channel near and south of Pine Island averaged 65 feet deep. I don't think there are many places over 45 feet now.
> The only structured that remain near unchanged is the 190 rd and the bridges on it.
> The whole lake bed was once a very busy farming area. Many houses and out buildings but to find any of them on a fish finder is difficult.
> If you are very interested then go to the USGA website and search for aerial photos before 1965. You will be surprised at what the lake covered.


Do you have a link to those aerial photos?

I have a small place north of the 190 bridge.

It would be interesting to see what was there close by...

Thanks...


----------



## Danny O

Pasadena,
http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov

I had to call the USGS help line to figure it out, but here is an example of what I found thus far. The attached map was taken on 3/14/1958 at an altitude of 8,500 feet. It is of the Trinity river and old 190 bridge. You can download a more detailed picture (medium resolution ~ 13 megs) for free, or you can buy a higher resolution for $30. It is very difficult to navigate, and I wouldn't try this with a dial-up or slow connection.


----------



## Danny O

I have to rotate some of these pics, but as best I can tell, this is just below the 190 bridge intersection.


----------



## Meadowlark

Cool pictures, Danny O...keep 'em coming. Got any of what is now the south end?


----------



## Danny O

Pine Island in the upper right, I think. Does that look right?


----------



## Danny O

Pine Island top center


----------



## Lone Eagle

Very interesting, Danny. Thank you very much.


----------



## Meadowlark

That is waaaay cool. Thanks.


----------



## rocket34

Thanks for taking the time and sharing. I would love to see the more detailed version.


----------



## Danny O

back to the old 190 area. this is a little more northeast of the river/190 intersection.


----------



## Danny O

I'm not sure which way to rotate this picture, but I know that Lone Eagle's "unmarked" hump is in the picture. Go there between 10am-noon.


----------



## Meadowlark

No more secrets with that data base.


----------



## Danny O

I'm losing steam and getting blurry eyed. 

Pine Island is on the tip of the upper left hand corner. I'm sure the hump is somewhere in this pic.


----------



## Sunbeam

Danny, to give you a size perspective. Look at the map on your No. 13 post.
Note the road going up (north) from 190 on the east side. Follow it up about an inch and you find a road going off to the left. It ends at the river. If you blow it up you can see a group of buildings on the river bank bluff. That is the dairy farm I mentioned. Does not look like much in the photo but there was a big house, milking barn, equipment sheds and a tall concrete silo. The silo was knocked down and all the buildings demoed.
Go up another 1/2 inch and you can barely make out a dark spot that was several big pecan trees on the river bank (east side) One of those trees is still standing although only one limb is still visible.
Just some useless but interesting trivia.


----------



## maco

SUNBEAM,X2,REMEMBER WALKING UP ON THE 190 BRIDGE WHEN IT WAS 1/2 DONE ,STILL REMBER WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE,ALL KINDS OF STUFF OUT THERE,BARNS ,OLD HOUSES ,TIME FLYS,I STILL KNOW PALMETTO W/OUT GPS,I CAN DRAW IT


----------



## Boomhauer75

Wow Danny thanks for taking the time to research and post these pictures. Gives us a better understanding of what is underneath that water!:brew:


----------



## stewman773

thanks for the pictures...


----------



## RAYSOR

Thanks danny O, it is much appreciated, do you think we could get Sunbeam to be mayor of the lake, hes got my vote!


----------



## markbrumbaugh

*Rocket34*



rocket34 said:


> Thanks for taking the time and sharing. I would love to see the more detailed version.


See your PM


----------



## Reel Time

Nice thread Danny O. I really enjoyed it. Good info. Now you got Professor Meadowlark really thinking. I bet he has already been to the USGS site!
RT


----------



## johnmyjohn

Good share.


----------



## Lone Eagle

Danny O said:


> I'm not sure which way to rotate this picture, but I know that Lone Eagle's "unmarked" hump is in the picture. Go there between 10am-noon.


Danny, you are "Very Correct"....


----------



## Lone Eagle

Danny, I personally "Thank You" for going to all this trouble. This information just might help all of us ...


----------



## baytownboy

My first trip on L.L. was to a little tiny town or community called Carlisle. Go up on 190 and turn before the big bridge and past Rocky Creek, towards White Rock Creek. There was a dirt road that led down to the lake and a ramp. When you backed the boat out, you were in "corn fields" all around. We went up and down the rows with a white big bladed spinner bait named T&T I believe made by a man named Tex Austin or something like that from Deer Park or Pasadena. Just throw it in the rows and bring it back very slow and catch 5-7 lb bass up there. The only way to get to the river was to wind your way around a creek on one side and cleared field with a fence on the other side, could be wrong. I believe there was some old pig pens out there also.


----------



## essayons75

Very cool! Going to take a neighbor family tomorrow to launch at LL State Park and hang around Pine Island. They have never been there, now I can share lake info about the river around the island.

Anyone in the tourist crowd on Pine Island tomorrow call me so our families can meet.

Ty
713-305-3102


----------

