Swan Lake Dam dam
Swan Lake Dam
Swan Lake Dam, located in Smith County, Texas, was completed in 1959 and serves as a key recreational spot in the area. The dam stands at a height of 37 feet and spans 700 feet in length, creating a reservoir with a normal storage capacity of 299 acre-feet. The dam is primarily made of earth and buttress core types, with a unique design that enhances its functionality for recreation activities.
Despite its age, Swan Lake Dam has been inspected and maintained periodically to ensure its safety and integrity. The dam lacks a spillway and has no locks, reflecting its focus on recreational use rather than flood control. With a hazard potential that is not rated and a high risk assessment score of 2, the dam's management measures and emergency action plans may need to be updated to meet current guidelines and ensure the safety of surrounding communities.
With its picturesque location on the TR-Chinquapin Creek and its status as a private-owned structure, Swan Lake Dam provides a tranquil setting for water resource and climate enthusiasts to appreciate the intersection of human engineering and natural beauty. As discussions around water resource management and climate change continue to evolve, Swan Lake Dam serves as a reminder of the importance of balancing recreational opportunities with environmental stewardship in our modern world.
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 Swan Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sabine Rv Nr Mineola | 243 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Hawkins | 179 cfs | → |
| Big Sandy Ck Nr Big Sandy | 38 cfs | → |
| Lake Fork Ck Nr Quitman | 35 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Gladewater | 267 cfs | → |
| Rabbit Ck At Kilgore | 8 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Swan Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Fm 14 Smith County
- County Road 3440 2448, Wood County
- Farm To Market 315, Chandler
- County Road 3504, Bullard
- Farm-To-Market Road 1892, Frankston
- South Tyler Street 901, Gladewater
Campgrounds
- Tyler State Park
- Lake Hawkins County Rv Park
- Fish Hawke Point
- Lake Holbrook Park - South
- Lake Holbrook Park - West
- Governor Jim Hogg Rv Park - Quitman
Fishing spots
Track Swan 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 Swan Lake Dam
Where does the data for Swan 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 Swan Lake Dam.