Blackburn Lake Dam dam
Blackburn Lake Dam
Blackburn Lake Dam, located in Angelina, Texas, was completed in 1950 and serves primarily for recreational purposes. The dam is an earth structure with a height of 18 feet and a length of 500 feet, creating a storage capacity of 137 acre-feet. Situated on the Conner Spring Branch, the dam has a surface area of 12 acres and is owned privately.
Despite its recreational focus, Blackburn Lake Dam is not without risks, as it has been classified with a high hazard potential. The dam lacks a spillway and has not been inspected since May 1997, raising concerns about its condition and safety. While the dam has not been rated for its current state, the absence of regular inspections and emergency preparedness measures leaves room for improvement in managing potential risks.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Blackburn Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study in balancing recreational benefits with potential hazards. The dam's location in a high-risk area underscores the importance of regular inspections and emergency preparedness to ensure the safety of nearby communities and the ecosystem. As climate change continues to impact water resources, it is crucial for dam owners and regulators to prioritize risk management measures to mitigate potential disasters.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Blackburn Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Neches Rv Nr Diboll | 756 cfs | → |
| Bayou Lanana At Nacogdoches | 9 cfs | → |
| Angelina Rv Nr Alto | 310 cfs | → |
| Attoyac Bayou Nr Chireno | 1,000 cfs | → |
| E Fk Angelina Rv Nr Cushing | 77 cfs | → |
| Neches Rv Nr Rockland | 2,420 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Blackburn Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Texas 94 22801, Apple Springs
- Kurth Lake Road, Lufkin
- County Road 753, Nacogdoches
- Lake Nacogdoches West Park, Nacogdoches
- Etole Park Road, Etoile
- Farm To Market Road 3124, Zavalla
Campgrounds
- Ratcliff Lake
- Ratcliff Lake: (936) 655-2299
- Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area
- Neches Bluff Overlook
- Neches Bluff Overlook: (936) 655-2299
- Mission Tejas State Park
Fishing spots
- Lake Nacogdoches
- Ratcliff Lake
- Sam Rayburn Lake
- Bouton Lake: (936) 897-1068
- Lake Striker
- Houston County Lake
Paddle runs
- State Highway 21 To State Highwy 7
- State Highway 7 To Us Highway 59
- Us Highway 59 To Us Highway 69
- Preserve Boundary Of The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Village Creek
- Us Highway 69 To Ba Steinhagen Reservoir
- Preserve Boundary In The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Trinity River
Track Blackburn Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Blackburn Lake Dam
Where does the data for Blackburn Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Not Available hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Blackburn Lake Dam.