E.V. Spence Reservoir, artificial lake in Texas, US

E.V. Spence Reservoir is an artificial lake west of and upstream from Robert Lee in Coke County, Texas, formed by Robert Lee Dam on the Colorado River. The reservoir was impounded in 1969 with the support of the Upper Colorado River Authority to supply water to Robert Lee and nearby communities. Robert Lee Dam is managed by the Colorado River Municipal Water District, and the lake is used for fishing, boating and swimming.

Robert Lee Dam was built in 1969 with support from the Upper Colorado River Authority to secure a water supply for Robert Lee and nearby Coke County communities. The reservoir and dam are managed by the Colorado River Municipal Water District. The lake is named for E.V. Spence, the district's first general manager.

The reservoir takes its name from E.V. Spence, the first general manager of the Colorado River Municipal Water District, who backed the project. The town it supplies, Robert Lee, is named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Anglers come for stocked striped bass, largemouth bass, white bass and catfish.

Water levels at E.V. Spence Reservoir fluctuate sharply: it fell below 1% of capacity in July 2011 and to 0.19% in September 2012, then reached 30.5% by August 2019. Check current conditions before planning fishing or boating, since the lake lies west of and upstream from Robert Lee.

In the 2000s, sudden blooms of a harmful algae called Prymnesium parvum triggered massive fish die-offs that fundamentally changed the lake's ecology. Today, ongoing restocking efforts with largemouth bass, crappie, and catfish are working to rebuild fish populations after these ecological challenges.