Joyce Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Anderson County, Texas, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 13 ft13 ft tall and 425 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 Joyce Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Joyce Lake Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Randal Brooks (private). It impounds the Basset Creek near Palestine.
The dam stands 13 feet tall and stretches 425 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 91 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1953, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/02/2019. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
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 | Anderson |
| Nearest City | Palestine |
| River/Stream | Basset Creek |
| Coordinates | 31.75371, -95.67191 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Length | 425 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 57 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Randal Brooks |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/02/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX00161 |
| Federal ID | TX00161 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |