Harris Lakes Dam

About Harris Lakes Dam

The primary purpose of Harris Lakes Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Penelope Jones (private). It impounds the Tr-parker Creek near Marshall.

The dam stands 17 feet tall and stretches 1,604 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 214 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1900, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/03/2023.

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.

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