Borger, Texas - Lake Meredith promotional literature, mid-1960's

Borger, Texas, Capitol City on Lake Meredith, is located in the Central Panhandle of Texas. This location is in the strategic center of a vast gas reservoir in the Panhandle -- known to be one of the largest in the world. The area probably contains the most complete concentration of diversified petroleum facilities of any locality in the world. The petroleum products and by-products, to numerous to enumerate, flows from its industrial plants into the market places of the world.

     With an estimated population of 21,000, Borger is proud of its public school facilities comprised of one high school, two junior high schools and six grade schools. Secondary education is furnished by Frank Phillips Junior College whose present enrollment of 771 is an indication of its stable growth from the 245 enrollment of nineteen years ago. The standards of our public school facilities are such that our high school graduates are accepted in all military academies, colleges, and universities. Many of the graduates receive scholarships to major schools all over the United States.

     The spiritual needs of the community are administered through fifty-two churches representing many denominations. Service and social needs are provided through more than eighty civic, service and fraternal organizations and associations. The County Library contains 40,393 volumes with a circulation the past year that reached 117,670.

     Borger has many outstanding artists who have exhibited not only in our area, but in New York City, New Mexico, and California. There is an active art group which owns its own building, used for both meetings and exhibitions. Our musicians and musical groups have studied under well known artists both here and abroad. Our writers have books that have become best sellers and their articles are published in many national publications.

     Recreation is provided in sixteen parks with tennis courts, lighted softball, baseball, and Little League parks, a Country Club and two eighteen hole golf courses, three city swimming pools and "The Jewel of the Panhandle -- Lake Meredith."

     Named for the late A. A. Meredith of Borger, who worked for many years to bring to life the dream of a dam on the Canadian River, Lake Meredith is nine miles West of Borger. Included in its periphery is the Alibates Flint Quarries, a National Monument, not yet open to the public, while the lake area is a National Recreation Area under the supervision of the National Park Service.

     Eleven High Plains cities, facing the problem of a receding water table and increasing water needs, organized the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority to seek ways and means to develop surface water flows of the Canadian River.

     The Canadian River Project was authorized as a Federal Reclamation project on December 29, 1950, by the Bureau of Reclamation, for the principal purposes of furnishing water for industrial and municipal uses; controlling floods and sediments; and providing recreation and fish and wildlife benefits.

     Sanford Dam is the principal structure of the project. It is located 9 miles West of Borger, is of rolled earth construction with a crest length of 6,380 feet. top width is 40 feet base width 1900 feet and required 15,308,000 Cubic yards if eatrthfill.

     Lake Meredith Reservoir, at spillway crest, will cover 12,640 acres. Its total capacity is 2,434,215 acre feet. This includes 445,000 acre feet for sediment and dead storage. 500,000 acre feet for municipal and industrial use, 462,100 acre feet for flood control and 1,026,215 acre feet for surcharge above spillway crest.

     An aqueduct system of about 322 miles will serve the member cities of the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority. They are Amarillo, Borger, Brownfield, Lamesa, Levelland, Lubbock, O'Donnell, Pampa, Plainview, Slaton and Tahoka.

     Visitors to Lake Meredith from June 1 through September 5, 1966 numbered 437,525. They came in 125,270 automobiles, pulling 14,745 boats and included 13,719 campers.

     Lake Meredith and Sanford Dam was officially dedicated on November 1, 1966 by Secretary of the Interior, Mr. Stewart Udall.