Lake De Lafosse Dam

Lake De Lafosse Dam is an earth dam located in Shackelford County, Texas, built in 1925. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Lake De Lafosse Dam

The primary purpose of Lake De Lafosse Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Van Operating Ltd (private). It impounds the Dry Branch.

The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 1,670 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 106 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,187 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 13 square miles. Completed in 1925, the structure is over a century 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 06/04/2019.

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.

High HazardNot Rated ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateTexas
CountyShackelford
River/StreamDry Branch
Coordinates32.73320, -99.10847

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height24 ft
Dam Height24 ft
Dam Length1,670 ft
Year Completed1925 (101 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage1,187 acre-ft
Max Storage1,187 acre-ft
Normal Storage773 acre-ft
Surface Area106 acres
Drainage Area13 sq mi
Max Discharge2 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerVAN OPERATING LTD
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Last Inspection06/04/2019
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDTX03114
Federal IDTX03114
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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