Mackenzie Dam

About Mackenzie Dam

The primary purpose of Mackenzie Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. It impounds the Tule Creek.

The dam stands 180 feet tall and stretches 2,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 896 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 69,249 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 188 square miles. Completed in 1974, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/19/2024.

At 180 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.

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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