Lake Colorado City Dam
Lake Colorado City Dam is an earth dam located in Mitchell County, Texas, built in 1949. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Colorado City Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Colorado City Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Luminant Power Company Llc (private). It impounds the Morgan Creek.
The dam stands 85 feet tall and stretches 4,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,610 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 93,132 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 337 square miles. Completed in 1949, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/26/2023.
At 85 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Mitchell |
| River/Stream | Morgan Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.31875, -100.91884 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 85 ft |
| Dam Height | 85 ft |
| Dam Length | 4,500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1949 (77 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 93,132 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 93,132 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 31,484 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,610 acres |
| Drainage Area | 337 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 150,001 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | LUMINANT POWER COMPANY LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/26/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX01693 |
| Federal ID | TX01693 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |