Livingston, Reservoir in east Texas, United States

Lake Livingston is a reservoir in east Texas covering about 336 square kilometers with a shoreline stretching more than 720 kilometers through wooded hills and shallow coves. The water reaches depths of up to 27 meters in places and fills a wide valley that spans several counties.

Construction of the Livingston Dam began in 1966 and was completed in 1969 by Forrest and Cotton, Incorporated, at a cost of about US$84 million, financed by revenue bonds repaid through water sales. The earthfill dam, designed by Brown and Root, impounds the Trinity River; the City of Houston holds two-thirds of the water rights and the Trinity River Authority the rest. In 2021 the R.C. Thomas Hydroelectric Project was dedicated at the dam.

The reservoir takes its name from the nearby city of Livingston, not from any drowned settlement. Fishing is the main recreation: white bass, catfish, largemouth bass, crappie and hybrid striped bass are caught, and Texas Parks and Wildlife publishes the specifics. The lake also appears in popular culture, including an episode of the television show River Monsters filmed for alligator gar.

Shoreline areas are accessible via several approach roads, with paved and unpaved paths leading to different launch ramps and picnic sites. Some zones suit quieter hours by the water, while others see frequent boat traffic.

A hydroelectric plant at the dam generates power year-round for thousands of households in the region. Turbines work with the flow of the Trinity River, using the elevation difference created by the impounded water.