Big Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Tyler County, Texas, built in 1949. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 21 ft21 ft tall and 630 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 Big Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Big Lake Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by William Baggett (private). It impounds the Tr-magnus Branch near Hillister.
The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 630 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 22 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 357 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1949, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/30/2009. That was over 17 years ago.
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Location
| State | Texas |
| County | Tyler |
| Nearest City | Hillister |
| River/Stream | Tr-magnus Branch |
| Coordinates | 30.69379, -94.42295 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Length | 630 ft |
| Year Completed | 1949 (77 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 357 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 357 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 161 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 22 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 530 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | William Baggett |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/30/2009 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX03753 |
| Federal ID | TX03753 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |