Willow Lake Dam
Willow Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Rusk County, Texas, built in 1914. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Willow Lake Dam
Willow Lake Dam is a dam in Rusk, Texas. The dam is owned by City Of Henderson (local government). It impounds the Shawnee Creek near Henderson.
The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 46 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 638 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1914, the structure is over a century 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/02/2023.
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 | Rusk |
| Nearest City | Henderson |
| River/Stream | Shawnee Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.14995, -94.78424 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1914 (112 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 638 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 638 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 313 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 46 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | CITY OF HENDERSON |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/02/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX03541 |
| Federal ID | TX03541 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |