A Brief History of Camp Creek Lake

Welcome to our Camp Creek Lake community! We hope you will enjoy the benefits of belonging to the Camp Creek Water Company (“CCWC”), the Camp Creek Community, and your own property.

The Charter, which created the CCWC as a capital stock corporation, was filed with the Office of the Secretary of the State of Texas on November 12, 1948. The unique history document, filled with planning and effort, is what has built our approximately 900-acre lake with 455 lots surrounding it.

In the mid-1940s, when federal dam-building programs were beginning, a number of Bryan community members donated several thousand dollars to pay an engineering firm to analyze site locations for a lake within forty (40) miles of Bryan. When the Robertson County location was determined to be best, support of local Robertson County leaders was solicited. Stock was sold, the Charter was filed, the dam was built on a cost basis by R. B. Butler Co., and stockholders drew for their lots.

The back of each lot was assured access from a main road, and surveyors located the front of each lot at least twenty (20) feet from the lake's standard water line, in most cases at or above the emergency spillway elevation of 318 feet above mean sea level. The top of the dam elevation was 325 feet.

Terminating the lots a reasonable distance from the lake allowed CCWC to maintain control and charge an annual fee to support the operation and maintenance of the improvements. A patrolman was hired to apply the rules and regulations; law enforcement is the responsibility of Robertson County (Sheriff) and the State of Texas.

It is important to note that CCWC is a corporation, not a Property Owner’s Association/HOA. There are significant differences in the purpose of a corporation and a Property Owners’ Association in a residential subdivision as defined by Chapter 209 of the Texas Property Code. See specifically, Section 209.002.

“The intent and purpose of CCWC was and continues to be managing the property owned by CCWC for the benefit of the Corporation’s shareholders and the lot owners adjacent to Camp Creek Lake.” It “is not designated as the representative of the owners of the lots surrounding Camp Creek Lake,” and “no ‘dedicatory instruments’ exist which establish a residential subdivision. Finally, the Articles of Incorporation and the By-Laws of CCWC are not intended to govern the administration or operation of a property owners’ association.” Quotations about these differences are excerpted from an opinion written by Joseph N. Briers of Bruchez, Goss, Thornton, Meronoff & Briers P.C., Attorneys at Law, on 11/7/2017.