Pilgrim Lake Dam

About Pilgrim Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Pilgrim Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Atascosa County;fdic (federal). It impounds the Tr-w Prong Atascosa River near Lytle.

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 37 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 265 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1914, 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. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/11/2023.

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.

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