Elm Fork Ws Scs Site 9 Dam is an earth dam located in Cooke County, Texas, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 36 ft36 ft tall and 2,950 ft long, taller than 82% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 Elm Fork Ws Scs Site 9 Dam
The primary purpose of Elm Fork Ws Scs Site 9 Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Cooke County;muenster Water District;upper Elm Red Swcd (local government). It impounds the Montague Creek near Lindsay.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 2,950 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 48 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,774 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/19/2023.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.
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 | Cooke |
| Nearest City | Lindsay |
| River/Stream | Montague Creek |
| Coordinates | 33.66615, -97.22674 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,950 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,774 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,774 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 48 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,910 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Cooke County;muenster Water District;upper Elm Red Swcd |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/19/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX00539 |
| Federal ID | TX00539 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |