Mackenzie Reservoir Supplies Water and Recreation Near Tulia

Mackenzie Dam was finished in 1974 on Tule Creek. The dam created Mackenzie Reservoir. It supplies water to nearby communities and is used for outdoor recreation. The Texas Almanac lists it as a major regional facility.

There was another lake close by called Tule Lake. It dried up by the 1970s. Farmers pumped so much groundwater that the water table dropped. When that happened, the springs that fed Tule Lake stopped flowing. The lake disappeared.

This is a good example of how heavy pumping from the ground can hurt surface water too. If you are buying land near Tule Creek, know that water here has changed a lot over the decades. Check the sources below to learn more.