Hugh Pitts Dam dam
Hugh Pitts Dam
Hugh Pitts Dam, located in Washington, Texas, is a privately owned structure with a primary purpose of providing fire protection, stock watering, and serving as a small fish pond. Built in 1991 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 24 feet and a length of 663 feet, with a storage capacity of 129 acre-feet. Situated on the TR-Black Creek, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the area, with a drainage area of 0.2 square miles.
Despite not having a spillway, Hugh Pitts Dam has been marked with a high hazard potential and a risk assessment rating of 2, indicating the need for careful monitoring and management. While the dam's condition assessment is currently not rated, its role in providing water for firefighting and irrigation purposes underscores its importance in the region. With no state jurisdiction or regulatory agency overseeing its operations, the responsibility for maintaining and inspecting the dam falls on the private owner.
As a key structure in the area's water infrastructure, Hugh Pitts Dam serves as a vital resource for the local community. Its strategic location and purposeful design by the USDA NRCS highlight its significance in ensuring water security and supporting various agricultural and environmental needs. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the dam's role in enhancing resilience and sustainability in the face of changing environmental conditions makes it a noteworthy site to study and monitor for long-term water management strategies.
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 Hugh Pitts Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Yegua Ck Nr Dime Box | 11 cfs | → |
| Yegua Ck Nr Somerville | 0 cfs | → |
| E Yegua Ck Nr Dime Box | 316 cfs | → |
| Colorado Rv Abv La Grange | 1,020 cfs | → |
| Davidson Ck Nr Lyons | 56 cfs | → |
| Redgate Ck Nr Columbus | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hugh Pitts Dam.
Boat launches
- Fm 180 Road, Ledbetter
- Iron Bridge Road 9251, Burton
- Fischer Road, Burton
- State Park Road 57, Somerville
- Ripple Creek Lane, Somerville
- Highway 159 4705, Fayetteville
Track Hugh Pitts 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 Hugh Pitts Dam
Where does the data for Hugh Pitts 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 Hugh Pitts Dam.