Prairie Creek Dam
Prairie Creek Dam is an earth dam located in Smith County, Texas, built in 1966. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Prairie Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Prairie Creek Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Fred Harms (private). It impounds the Praire Creek near Lindale.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 725 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1966, 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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/21/2023.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Texas |
| County | Smith |
| Nearest City | Lindale |
| River/Stream | Praire Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.49695, -95.40003 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 725 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | FRED HARMS |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/21/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX06025 |
| Federal ID | TX06025 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |