Wright Patman Dam - Saddle Dike
Wright Patman Dam - Saddle Dike is an earth dam located in Cass County, Texas, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Wright Patman Dam - Saddle Dike
The primary purpose of Wright Patman Dam - Saddle Dike is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Usace - Fort Worth District (federal). It impounds the Sulphur River near Texarkana.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 6,150 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20,300 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 2,650,000 acre-feet. Completed in 1953, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/15/2022.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% of dams nationwide.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Texas dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Texas |
| County | Cass |
| Nearest City | Texarkana |
| River/Stream | Sulphur River |
| Coordinates | 33.28656, -94.15872 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 6,150 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,650,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,650,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 145,300 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20,300 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | USACE - Fort Worth District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 03/15/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX00021 |
| Federal ID | TX00021S001 |