Richland Chambers Reservoir, aka Richland Chambers Lake, is 60 miles southeast of downtown Dallas on the edge of the Piney Woods of East Texas in Freestone and Navarro Counties southeast of Corsicana, Texas. The Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) owns most of its water rights and operates Richland Chambers Reservoir which is formed by the impoundment of Richland Creek and Chambers Creek, tributaries of the Trinity River. The closest towns to Richland Chambers Reservoir are Corsicana, Angus, Richland, and Streetman on I45, and Mildred, Eureka, and Cayuga on US 287.
Richland Chambers Reservoir covers 41,356 acres with 330 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 57 feet. It is a Y-shaped lake with one arm running west and the other one northwest. The Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area (RCWMA) on Richland Chambers Reservoir’s southeastern border was created to compensate for habitat losses associated with the construction of the lake. The areas covered by the RCWMA separates the Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairie ecological regions, lying almost entirely within the Trinity River floodplain. The TRWD sells wholesale water to 11 counties.
History of Richland Chambers Lake
A severe drought in the 1950s was the basis to draw up plans for Richland Chambers Reservoir. In 1979, the TRWD finally issued $342.75 million in revenue bonds for its construction. Dam construction began in October 1982, and impoundment of water began on July 14, 1987.
The predominant Indian tribes in Navarro County area were the Iones, Kickapoos, and Comanches before settlement. Thomas J. Chambers received the first Mexican land grant in the area that became Navarro County on September 23, 1834, which was 35,424 acres fourteen miles east of the site of present Corsicana. Chambers served as surveyor counselor and supreme judge for the Mexican officials. In 1836, The Mexican government issued an empresario contract to Chambers to bring 800 families to Texas.
Men named John Silas and Ben Parker built a fort near the Richland Chambers Reservoir region in 1833. In 1836, the Kiowa and Comanche Indians attacked the fort and killed or took captive the survivors. They took Cynthia Ann Parker captive with her brother, John Parker. John and four other captives were released, but Cynthia stayed with the Comanches. She remained with the Comanches, forgot her Anglo ways, and married a Comanche named Peta Nocona.
In 1848, Indian Agent Robert Neighbors learned that Cynthia was with the Tenawa Comanches. The Comanche leaders told Robert that only by force would they release her. Cynthia and Pete had two sons and a daughter. Quannah Parker was one of their sons along with Pecos, and daughter, Topsannah. Quannah was born about 1845. He went on to become a powerful Comanche chief, kept the Texas plains in constant turmoil, and held them steady for seven years while refusing to sign treaties in the late 1860s and early 1870s.
Eventually, white buffalo hunters depleted the Indian’s main source of food. After a failed raid on the morning of June 27, 1874, with 700 warriors comprised of Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas, and Comanches at Adobe Walls, Texas/ Quannah surrendered. The government moved the tribes to the Kiowa-Comanche reservation in southwestern Oklahoma. Quannah remained defiant and controversial. He made deals and ended up one of the wealthiest and most famous Comanche Indians of his time through shrewd investments which included $40,000 worth of stock in the Quanah, Acme, and Pacific Railway.
Quannah became friends with Teddy Roosevelt, but finally the federal government broke up the Kiowa-Comanche reservation into individual holdings and opened it up to settlement in 1901. Parker continued to operate his ranch, continued his associations with whites, and became the deputy sheriff of Lawton, Oklahoma, in 1902. Quannah died on February 23, 1911 at his home after becoming ill visiting the Cheyenne Reservation,. They buried Quannah beside Cynthia Ann Parker in Post Oak Mission Cemetery near Cache, Oklahoma.
Fishing Richland Chambers
The predominant fish species in Richland Chambers Reservoir are hybrid striped, largemouth, and white bass, smallmouth buffalo, carp, blue and channel catfish, black and white crappie, and longear sunfish. Other species include yellow and striped bass, bowfin, flathead catfish, and alligator and longnose gar. Numerous fishing tournaments are held throughout the year on Richland Chambers Reservoir, and the fishing is excellent.
Vegetation and clear water for catching largemouth bass are limited. Native pondweeds are abundant in Big Cedar Creek and along the south bank of the Chambers Creek arm. Hydrilla is scattered along the south bank of the Richland Creek arm from Midway Marina west to the railroad trestle and from 7L ramp south to Pin Oak Creek. The old Trinity River levee forms a crescent-shaped underwater structure between the confluence of the Richland and Chambers creek arms and the dam.
White bass and hybrid stripers are active from the 287 bridge to the dam. Crappie anglers will have luck with jigs or minnows near bridge crossings and in the abundant timber in the upper Richland and Chambers creek arms. Underwater stumps create hazards in the Richland Creek and Chambers Creek channels, and there are no marked boat lanes. It is highly recommended to buy a lake map or hire an experienced guide for your first fishing adventure on Richland Chambers Reservoir. Hire a guide and try out new fishing gear, and then let the guide do all the heavy work. Check out experienced local pro guides on our Richland Chambers Lake Fishing Guides page.
Boating Richland Chambers
Richland Chambers Reservoir is not considered a party lake, which makes it perfect for family fun and adventure, fishing, and relaxed boating. It is a great lake for pleasure boats, cruisers, pontoons, sailboats, ski boats, family boats, canoes, kayaks, and all types of fishing boats. However, boaters must watch out for underwater hazards because tree stumps heavily populated areas of Richland Chambers Reservoir. The water in Richland Chambers Reservoir is clean, but It can get rough on the water during high winds.
The shoreline view from the water is pretty much the same all over this barely inhabited lake. Only a few tiny communities dot its shores. Boaters will find plenty of marina services with fishing supplies and public and private boat ramps, plus there are no shoreline restrictions. People who do not want the hassle of a boat can find several places to rent different types of boats and personal watercraft. A large east-west expanse on the Richland arm of the lake t is reported to be the largest inland sailing basin in Texas.
There are plenty of boat sales and repair services sprinkled around Richland Chambers Reservoir. A Richland/Chambers Lake map is available as part of iBoating: USA Marine & Fishing App and highly recommended for boaters and anglers, especially if it is their first time boating on this lake. Shop or sell a boat on our Richland Chambers Boats for Sale page.
Richland Chambers Marinas
The four marinas on Richland Chambers Reservoir offer all the amenities like gas docks, grills and cafes, cabins and motel rooms, campgrounds, RV sites, fish cleaning stations and bait, laundry facilities, boat rentals, swim beaches, ship’s stores, Wi-Fi services, slip rentals, dry dock storage, and more. Plan your trip to Richland Chambers Reservoir by calling one of the marinas today on our Richland Chambers Lake Marinas page.
Richland Chambers Real Estate
Buyers can find 30 Richland Chambers Reservoir homes for sale, and 260 lake lots and land for sale. Richland Chambers Reservoir offers homes at many price points, but lakefront homes for sale have an average list price of $493,000. The two school districts providing education are Corsican ISD and Mildred ISD. Northshore Harbor Condominiums are close to the lake, and definitely upscale. Corsicana is the nearest shopping district with a Walmart and a Home Depot. Richland Chambers Reservoir is extremely rural and peaceful, providing rural lifestyles and small-town values. To find your dream home, explore our Richland Chambers Lake Homes For Sale page.
Cabins and Vacation Homes
Richland Chambers Reservoir is scarcely inhabited, so there are few vacation home rentals. Your best bet is to search airbnb.com and vrbo.com and book in advance. It Is so relaxing, peaceful and beautiful out in the country air miles from the bright city lights and the vacation home rentals are modern and secluded. Prices run from expensive to moderate.
There are more vacation home rentals a few miles away from Richland Chambers Reservoir, if you’d like more privacy. Several of the campgrounds, parks, and marinas offer cabin rentals, lodges, and motels for cozy nights and fun-filled days. Imagine waking up to a gorgeous sunrise with hot coffee anticipating a day with family and friends in a beautiful east Texas water wonderland. Find the perfect vacation home on our Richland Chambers Lake Cabins page.
Camping at Richland Chambers
Choose from tons of camping options on Richland Chambers Reservoir. From primitive tent sites, tents sites with water and electricity to RV sites, you are sure to find your ideal camping spot at Richland Chambers Reservoir. Many of the parks that offer RV and tent camping do not have websites on this lake, but you can discover the different places to pitch your tent or park your RV on their Facebook Pages. You can get supplies at Walmart in Corsicana.
Some campsites do not have grills, and some do. There are no state parks at Richland Chambers Reservoir, which means that all camping is offered by private parks or located in the two Wildlife Management Areas operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Some parks are pet friendly. They offer many other amenities, swim beaches, fish cleaning stations, ship’s stores, and more. Richland Chambers Reservoir is not party central and perfect for family getaways: Check out our list of campgrounds and RV parks for your family adventure on our Richland Chambers Lake Camping page.
Wildlife Management Areas and Hunting
The Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area (RCWMA) lies on the southeastern tip of Richland Chambers Reservoir. Its ecotone separates the Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairie ecological regions. It is an 13,783-acre site with bottomland and riparian forests and previously cleared agricultural lands. This WMA sits almost entirely in the Trinity River floodplain.
Its north unit allows hunting and deer with bag limits, plus Teal and Canada Geese are regulated. Its south unit allows unlimited feral hog, squirrel, rabbit and hare hunting. ATVs are allowed during special permit hunts. The RCWMA mission is to develop and manage populations of indigenous and migratory wildlife species and their habitats and to provide quality consumptive and non-consumptive public-use in a manner that is not detrimental to the resource.
The Gus Engling Wildlife Management Area (GEWMA) is about 10 miles east of Richland Chambers Reservoir. It consists of 2,000 acres with 500 acres of natural watercourses. It employs Sound wildlife management tools like prescribed burning, grazing, brush control and hunting to demonstrate the results of proven practices to resource managers, landowners, and other interested groups or individuals.
Public hunting is permitted for feral hog, squirrel, rabbit, hare, and waterfowl. Hunters seventeen years of age and older interested in waterfowl and small game must possess either an Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit or Limited Public Use (LPU) Permit to utilize the WMA. Campers may not cause, create, or contribute to excessive or disturbing sounds beyond the person's immediate campsite between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. They may not establish a camp and leave it unattended for a period of longer than 24 hours, and must remove refuse from the area upon departing.
Hunting permits for both WMAs are available at all license sale locations in Texas or by calling 1 (800) TXLIC4U (895-4248). Permits are not for sale at the WMA. Alligators are present in some areas.
Things to do at Richland Chambers
There are some great dining options on the lake and in the nearby towns especially in Corsicana and few places to knock down a cold brew, glass of wine or mixed drink. Richland Chambers Reservoir is not known for its party lifestyle, but you can visit Angelita Vineyard and Winery in Angus, Texas, about 10 miles west of the Chambers Creek arm of the lake.
You can enjoy a wine tasting, wine flight, wine by the glass, or a bottle of your favorite Angelita Vineyard wine with appetizers available including a cheese plate with an assortment of several delicious and unique types of cheese. Sit inside and listen to soft music or sit outside and view the beautiful Texas sunset setting directly over several acres of Blanc Du Bois vines.
Go antiquing in Corsicana, or check the event schedule at the Corsicana Opry & Event Center which is under remodel, but is opening in April 2021 with a new restaurant, an ice cream parlor, and a tearoom. It will feature live music on Saturday nights in their dancehall. Other dancehall activities will include karaoke and they are a Corsicana destination. The Corsicana Opry is housed in a historic circa 1905 cherry red brick building with 23,000 sq ft on the 1st floor and balcony, and 7,000 sq ft in the basement. It is a true Opry House with eloquent furnishings and architecture. Plan the perfect day trip or vacation on our Things To Do At Richland Chambers page.
Richland Chambers Lake Weather
Richland Chambers Reservoir sees an average of 40 inches of rain per year, with no snow and 229 days of sunshine. The winter low in January is 35 degrees and a summer high in July of 95 degrees. April, May, and October are the most comfortable months for this region. Keep your eyes on the skies with our Richland Chambers Weather Forecast page.
Richland Chambers Zip Codes
Freestone County: 75831, 75838, 75840, 75848, 75855, and 75860.
Navarro County: 75102, 75105, 75109, 75110, 75144, 75151, 75153, 75155, 75859, 76626, 76639, 76641, 76648, 76679, 76681, and 76693.
Flora and Fauna
The Gus Engling WMA has documented 37 mammals, 156 birds, 54 reptiles and amphibians, and 57 fish species in the Richland Chambers Reservoir region. Visitors might see white-tailed deer, eastern wild turkeys, gray squirrels, fox squirrels, raccoons beavers, wood ducks, or a pileated woodpecker, plus many species of migratory birds and water fowl.
Vast bottomland hardwood forest communities characterized by cedar elm, sugarberry, and green ash trees dominate the area. Honey locust, boxelder, and black willow are common. Pockets of bur oak, shumard oak, overcup oak, water oak, willow oak, and native pecan trees are present. The underbrush is comprised of hawthorn, cat briar, poison ivy, and rattan with shade tolerant grasses and forbs. Diverse herbaceous communities characterize large non-forested areas .
