Lake Gay Dam dam
Lake Gay Dam
Lake Gay Dam, located in Wood County, Texas, stands as a vital structure for fire protection, stock, and small fish pond purposes. Built in 1960, this earth dam with a buttress core reaches a height of 28 feet and spans 450 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 100 acre-feet, Lake Gay Dam serves as a crucial resource for the local community, providing essential water supply for various needs.
Although the dam does not have a spillway, its structural integrity is regularly inspected to ensure public safety. Despite being classified as having a high risk potential, the condition assessment remains unrated. With no designated emergency action plan in place, the risk management measures for Lake Gay Dam are yet to be fully established. As a privately-owned structure, the dam plays a significant role in water resource management and climate resilience in the region.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate change will find Lake Gay Dam to be a fascinating example of how private ownership can contribute to sustainable water management. With its historical significance dating back to the 1960s and its crucial role in fire protection and recreational activities, this earth dam serves as a testament to the importance of maintaining and inspecting such structures to ensure public safety and environmental resilience in the face of changing climate 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 Lake Gay Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Fork Ck Nr Quitman | 16 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Mineola | 103 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Hawkins | 259 cfs | → |
| Big Sandy Ck Nr Big Sandy | 84 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Wills Point | 111 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Gladewater | 380 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Gay Dam.
Boat launches
- Private Road 5183 Wood County
- County Road 1973 Wood County
- Wood County
- Fm 2946 Rains County
- County Road 3440 2448, Wood County
- Fm 14 Smith County
Campgrounds
- Governor Jim Hogg Rv Park - Quitman
- Lake Quitman Park
- Lake Holbrook Park - West
- Lake Holbrook Park - South
- Lake Winnsboro North Park
- Winnsboro City Rv Park
Fishing spots
Track Lake Gay 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 Gay Dam
Where does the data for Lake Gay 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 Gay Dam.