Rice Lake Dam dam
Rice Lake Dam
Rice Lake Dam, located in Trinity, Texas, on Kickapoo Creek, stands as a crucial water resource structure in the region. Built in 1963, this earth dam with a buttress core reaches a height of 18 feet and spans 1,120 feet in length, providing a storage capacity of 560 acre-feet. The dam is privately owned and maintained, with oversight from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for regulatory and enforcement purposes.
Despite its importance for water management, Rice Lake Dam does not have a spillway and is not rated for condition assessment. With a high hazard potential, the dam's risk management measures are yet to be detailed, making it a critical structure in need of thorough inspection and assessment. The surrounding area relies on the dam for normal storage of 110 acre-feet, making it essential for the community's water needs and irrigation purposes.
As climate change continues to impact water resources, ensuring the safety and functionality of structures like Rice Lake Dam becomes increasingly vital. With its high-risk potential and lack of detailed risk management measures, this dam serves as a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts seeking to understand the challenges of managing and maintaining critical infrastructure in the face of environmental uncertainties.
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 Rice Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo Ck At Onalaska | 383 cfs | → |
| Neches Rv Nr Diboll | 756 cfs | → |
| Long King Ck At Livingston | 1,360 cfs | → |
| Trinity Rv Nr Goodrich | 8,590 cfs | → |
| Trinity Rv Nr Crockett | 4,520 cfs | → |
| Bedias Ck Nr Madisonville | 196 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Rice Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Harbor Point Boat Launch
- Cedar Point Boat Ramp
- San Jacinto County
- Caney Creek Drive 401, Polk County
- 190 Boat Launch 898, Point Blank
Campgrounds
- Ratcliff Lake: (936) 655-2299
- Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area
- Ratcliff Lake
- Wolf Creek Park - Lake Livingston
- Lake Livingston State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- State Highway 7 To Us Highway 59
- State Highway 21 To State Highwy 7
- Preserve Boundary Of The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Village Creek
- Preserve Boundary In The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Trinity River
- Us Highway 59 To Us Highway 69
- Farm To Market Road 1375 To East Fork Of San Jacinto River
Track Rice 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 Rice Lake Dam
Where does the data for Rice 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 Rice Lake Dam.