Chambers Creek Ws Scs Site 53 Dam is an earth dam located in Ellis County, Texas, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 32 ft32 ft tall and 2,800 ft long, taller than 74% 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 Chambers Creek Ws Scs Site 53 Dam
The primary purpose of Chambers Creek Ws Scs Site 53 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 Ellis County;ellis Prairie Swcd (local government). It impounds the East Fork Chambers Creek.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 2,800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 53 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,283 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 01/31/2018. That was 8 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 | Ellis |
| River/Stream | East Fork Chambers Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.35492, -97.02030 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,283 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,283 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 53 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,606 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Ellis County;ellis Prairie Swcd |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 01/31/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX01304 |
| Federal ID | TX01304 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |