Zoo Lake No 1 Dam is an earth dam located in Taylor County, Texas, built in 1966. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 700 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 Zoo Lake No 1 Dam
The primary purpose of Zoo Lake No 1 Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City of Abilene (local government). It impounds the Tributary of Rainy Creek.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 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 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 12/11/2023.
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 | Taylor |
| River/Stream | Tributary of Rainy Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.44136, -99.69399 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 16 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,805 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Abilene |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/11/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX02701 |
| Federal ID | TX02701 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |