Barth Lake Dam
Barth Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Caldwell County, Texas, built in 1973. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Barth Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Barth Lake Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Elsie Barth (private). It impounds the Tr-plum Creek.
The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 750 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 144 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1973, 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 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 12/12/2023.
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 | Caldwell |
| River/Stream | Tr-plum Creek |
| Coordinates | 29.90821, -97.68174 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 750 ft |
| Year Completed | 1973 (53 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 144 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 144 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond |
| Owner | ELSIE BARTH |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 12/12/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX05683 |
| Federal ID | TX05683 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |