Mitchell County Reservoir Dam
Mitchell County Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Mitchell County, Texas, built in 1991. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Mitchell County Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of Mitchell County Reservoir Dam is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Colorado River Municipal Water District (local government). It impounds the Tr-beals Creek near Robert Lee.
The dam stands 93 feet tall and stretches 4,850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,603 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 50,241 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 15 square miles. Completed in 1991, the structure is 35 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/09/2024.
At 93 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | Texas |
| County | Mitchell |
| Nearest City | Robert Lee |
| River/Stream | Tr-beals Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.24000, -101.10500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 93 ft |
| Dam Height | 70 ft |
| Dam Length | 4,850 ft |
| Year Completed | 1991 (35 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50,241 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50,241 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 32,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,603 acres |
| Drainage Area | 15 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 19,825 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | COLORADO RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 01/09/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX06420 |
| Federal ID | TX06420 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |