Marlin Old City Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Falls County, Texas, built in 1922. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 23 ft23 ft tall and 1,750 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 Marlin Old City Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Marlin Old City Lake Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by City of Marlin (local government). It impounds the Big Sandy Creek.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 1,750 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 137 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,188 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 17 square miles. Completed in 1922, the structure is over a century 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/27/2023.
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 | Falls |
| River/Stream | Big Sandy Creek |
| Coordinates | 31.35084, -96.87124 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,750 ft |
| Year Completed | 1922 (104 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,188 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,188 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 791 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 137 acres |
| Drainage Area | 17 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 25,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | City of Marlin |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/27/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX01037 |
| Federal ID | TX01037 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |