Carter Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Brazos County, Texas, built in 1966. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 32 ft32 ft tall and 1,560 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 Carter Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Carter Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Carter Lake Home Owners Corporation (private). It impounds the Tr-carters Creek.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 1,560 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 45 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,196 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1966, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/24/2019. 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 | Brazos |
| River/Stream | Tr-carters Creek |
| Coordinates | 30.59499, -96.24868 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,560 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,196 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,196 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 481 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 45 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Carter Lake Home Owners Corporation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/24/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX01862 |
| Federal ID | TX01862 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |