| Sheldon Lake | |
|---|---|
 Sheldon Reservoir Sea of Grass | |
  Sheldon Lake  Sheldon Lake | |
| Location | Harris County, Texas |
| Coordinates | 29°52.22′N 95°10.37′W / 29.87033°N 95.17283°W |
| Type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Carpenters Bayou |
| Primary outflows | Carpenters Bayou |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 1,230 acres (500 ha) |
| Max. depth | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Water volume | 5,354 acre⋅ft (0.006604 km3) |
| Surface elevation | 47 ft (14 m) |
Sheldon Lake is a reservoir on Carpenters Bayou in the San Jacinto River basin, 16 miles (26 km) northeast of downtown Houston, Texas. The reservoir was created in 1943 when the federal government built a dam to provide fresh water for shipbuilding and shipping industries on the Houston Ship Channel during World War II. After the war, the management of the reservoir was assumed by the City of Houston. In 1952, after the construction of the dam that creates Lake Houston, the city sold the reservoir to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for use as a waterfowl sanctuary and public fishing site. In 1984, the land around the reservoir was designated the Sheldon State Wildlife Management Area.