Lake Houston Dam dam
Lake Houston Dam
Lake Houston Dam, located in Harris County, Texas, was completed in 1954 and serves as a crucial water resource for irrigation, recreation, and water supply purposes. Managed by the local government, the dam stands at 65.8 feet in height and spans a length of 12,097 feet, with a storage capacity of 281,800 acre-feet. Situated on the San Jacinto River, the dam plays a pivotal role in regulating the water flow and managing the drainage area of 2,828 square miles.
With a spillway width of 3,160 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 525,000 cubic feet per second, Lake Houston Dam has undergone modifications in 1988 to enhance its structural integrity. The dam's primary purpose of irrigation is supported by a network of outlet gates, including controlled and uncontrolled mechanisms. Despite being classified as having a moderate risk level, the dam has not been rated for its condition assessment, indicating the need for continued monitoring and maintenance to ensure its long-term reliability in mitigating potential hazards.
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 Lake Houston Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Garners Bayou Nr Humble | 860 cfs | → |
| Greens Bayou At Ley Rd | 4,220 cfs | → |
| Cedar Bayou Nr Crosby | 1,630 cfs | → |
| Greens Bayou Nr Houston | 1,260 cfs | → |
| Hunting Bayou At Ih 610 | 374 cfs | → |
| Halls Bayou At Houston | 479 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Houston Dam.
Boat launches
- Boat Ramp
- Beaumont Highway Harris County
- Garrett Road 13400-13610, Houston
- Sheldon Lake Boat Ramp
- Buddy Mcbride Public Boat Ramp Park
- Sylvan Beach Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Lake Houston Wilderness Park
- Forest Retreat Rv Park
- Hugo Point County Park
- Mccollum County Park
- Fort Anahuac County Park
- White Memorial County Park
Paddle runs
- Farm To Market Road 1375 To East Fork Of San Jacinto River
- Preserve Boundary In The Lance Rosier Unit To Confluence With Pine Island Bayou
- Preserve Boundary In The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Trinity River
- Preserve Boundary In The Lance Rosier Unit To Confluence With The Neches River
Track Lake Houston 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 Lake Houston Dam
Where does the data for Lake Houston 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 Lake Houston Dam.