Jim Chapman Lake, reservoir in northeastern Texas, United States
Jim Chapman Lake is a 19,305-acre reservoir on the South Sulphur River, a fork of the Sulphur River, about 75 miles east of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The 1991 Jim Chapman Dam created it, and Cooper Lake State Park of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department lies on its shore.
The reservoir was completed in 1991, when a dam on the South Sulphur River was built to manage flooding and provide water to communities in the region. In 1998, it was renamed from Cooper Lake to honor Jim Chapman, a local congressman who had supported the project.
The lake draws anglers and boaters throughout the year, and Cooper Lake State Park makes the shoreline easy to reach for families and day visitors. The park's trails and picnic spots give people a way to enjoy the water without getting on a boat.
The easiest way to reach the lake and its shoreline is through Cooper Lake State Park, which has boat ramps, parking, and marked trails. A fishing license is needed to fish on the water, but shore fishing within the state park does not require one.
Jim Chapman Lake was renamed by an act of Congress in 1998; before that it was called Cooper Lake, and the Cooper name survives in Cooper Lake State Park on its shore. The reservoir covers 19,305 acres and lies 75 miles east of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
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