Bowie Lake Dam dam
Bowie Lake Dam
Bowie Lake Dam, located in Montague, Texas, is a vital structure primarily used for water supply purposes. With a height of 30 feet and a length of 2200 feet, this earth dam on the West Fork Middle Belknap Creek was completed in 1937 and is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Despite its age, the dam's storage capacity remains at 2220 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 1230 acre-feet.
The dam's design features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 300 feet and three uncontrolled outlet gates. However, recent assessments have rated its condition as poor, indicating a need for maintenance and improvements. The last inspection in 1970 highlighted the dam's hazard potential as not available, but its risk assessment is moderate. Given its critical role in water supply, stakeholders and authorities must prioritize addressing the dam's structural integrity to ensure the safety of surrounding communities and the sustainable management of water resources in the area.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, staying informed about the state of infrastructure like Bowie Lake Dam is essential for understanding the intersection of water management and environmental sustainability. By monitoring the dam's condition, regulatory oversight, and risk management measures, enthusiasts can advocate for responsible stewardship of water resources and contribute to safeguarding the resilience of such key infrastructure 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 Bowie Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Belknap Ck Nr Ringgold | 112 cfs | → |
| Beaver Ck Nr Ringgold | 145 cfs | → |
| E Fk Little Wichita Rv Nr Henrietta | · | → |
| Red Rv Nr Terral | 266 cfs | → |
| Little Wichita Rv Abv Henrietta | 0 cfs | → |
| W Fk Trinity Rv Nr Jacksboro | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bowie Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Fm 2606 Clay County
- Pawnee Trail 498, Clay County
- Boat Ramp Road Clay County
- County Road 1638 Wise County
- Archer County
Campgrounds
- Pelham City Park
- Selma City Park - Lake Amon Carter
- Hapgood Rv Park
- Weldon Rob Memorial Park - Lake Nocona
- Boone Park - Lake Nocona
- Joe Benton Park - Lake Nocona
Track Bowie 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 Bowie Lake Dam
Where does the data for Bowie 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 Bowie Lake Dam.