Lower East Fork Laterals Ws Scs Site 2 Dam

About Lower East Fork Laterals Ws Scs Site 2 Dam

The primary purpose of Lower East Fork Laterals Ws Scs Site 2 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 Kaufman County;kaufman Van Zandt Swcd (local government). It impounds the Buffalo Creek.

The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 2,350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 43 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1954, 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 02/27/2024.

At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.

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.

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