For almost 40 years, Calaveras and Braunig Lakes have not only helped CPS Energy meet the community’s electrical needs, but they also have provided valuable outdoor recreational opportunities for residents and visitors interested in a day of fishing, an afternoon picnic, or setting up camp for the night.

The two lakes, located in southeast Bexar County, were built in the late 1960s to provide cooling water for equipment at nearby power plants. Following a record drought in San Antonio in the late 1950s and desires to conserve Edwards Aquifer water for drinking purposes, CPS Energy turned to treated wastewater from the San Antonio River to fill the two reservoirs. By using recycled wastewater in the lakes rather than fresh water, more than 40,000 acre feet of drinking water from the aquifer is conserved each year. CPS Energy was one of the first utilities in the nation to use treated sewage effluent for power plant cooling.

More than 250,000 people visit Braunig and Calaveras Lakes each year. The San Antonio River Authority (SARA), through an agreement with CPS Energy, maintains family-friendly recreational facilities at the two lakes which include picnic and camping areas as well as boat ramps, piers and shorelines for fishing. The treated wastewater is safe for aquatic life and recreational activities. After the water has been used to cool power plant equipment, it is recycled back into the lakes with the warm water providing ideal conditions for different species of fish to thrive. Calaveras Lake is stocked with a variety of fish, including largemouth bass, catfish, hybrid-striped bass and red drum, and provides anglers with ample fishing opportunities throughout the year. Waterskiing, boating and the use of personal watercraft also are popular activities on the lake. In addition to water-based recreation, Calaveras Lake is home to aquatic habitat, wetlands and nesting areas for migratory and wading birds and is a prime environment for wildlife such as deer and other small mammals.

See the SARA website for information regarding park activities, facilities and admission for Braunig Lake http://www.sara-tx.org/site/parks/braunig.php and Calaveras Lake http://www.sara-tx.org/site/parks/calaveras.php .