Horseshoe Brake is an earth dam located in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, built in 1972. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 17 ft17 ft tall and 500 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Horseshoe Brake
The primary purpose of Horseshoe Brake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Morehouse Parish Police Jury (local government). It impounds the Bayou Bartholomew Offstream near Jones.
The dam stands 17 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 137 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,172 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1972, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 04/25/2023.
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Location
| State | Louisiana |
| County | Morehouse |
| Nearest City | Jones |
| River/Stream | Bayou Bartholomew Offstream |
| Coordinates | 32.97728, -91.67423 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Height | 17 ft |
| Dam Length | 500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,172 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,172 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 827 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 137 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 100 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Morehouse Parish Police Jury |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/25/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | LA00162 |
| Federal ID | LA00162 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |