Oil Mill Lake Dam dam
Oil Mill Lake Dam
Oil Mill Lake Dam, located in Falls County, Texas, was completed in 1930 and primarily serves as a recreational site for water enthusiasts and climate lovers. This earth dam, with a height of 21 feet and a length of 1350 feet, creates a storage capacity of 250 acre-feet, offering a serene surface area of 19.7 acres for visitors to enjoy. The dam's spillway, with a width of 45 feet, is uncontrolled, allowing for the natural flow of water from TR-BEAN BRANCH river or stream.
Despite its historical significance and recreational value, Oil Mill Lake Dam's condition assessment in 2016 reported a poor rating, indicating the need for maintenance and potential hazard mitigation measures. The dam is state-regulated and inspected by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to ensure public safety. With its moderate risk rating and a frequency of inspections every two years, the dam's management and emergency preparedness protocols are crucial for safeguarding the surrounding community and environment. Oil Mill Lake Dam stands as a reminder of the importance of responsible water resource management and climate resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Oil Mill Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Brazos Rv Nr Highbank | 666 cfs | → |
| Brazos Rv At Waco | 212 cfs | → |
| Little Pond Ck Nr Burlington | · | → |
| N Elm Ck At Rosebud Rd Nr Meeks | 2 cfs | → |
| Navasota Rv Abv Groesbeck | 2 cfs | → |
| Big Elm Ck At Sh 77 Nr Cameron | 1,190 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Oil Mill Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Sommerfeld Drive 1823, Waco
- Pavelka Drive Hallsburg
- Pep Club Road 299, Hallsburg
- North Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard 908-998, Waco
- North Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard Waco
- North Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard 3801, Waco
Campgrounds
- Falls On The Brazos Park
- Airport Park
- Fort Parker State Park
- Lake Mexia Rec Area
- Public Use Area 2 - Groesbeck
Fishing spots
Track Oil Mill 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 Oil Mill Lake Dam
Where does the data for Oil Mill 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 Oil Mill Lake Dam.