Rolling Hills Dam

About Rolling Hills Dam

The primary purpose of Rolling Hills Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Rolling Hills Poa (private). It impounds the Gladish Creek near Hempstead.

The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 330 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 240 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1961, 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 04/24/2024.

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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