Mountain Creek Dam dam
Mountain Creek Dam
Mountain Creek Dam, located in Dallas, Texas, is a private earth dam completed in 1936 with a height of 47 feet and a length of 8200 feet, impounding the waters of Mountain Creek. Managed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the dam serves multiple purposes, including flood control and water supply. With a storage capacity of 64,372 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 128,502 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
The dam features a controlled spillway with a width of 249 feet and outlet gates for water release. It underwent mechanical modifications in 1999 to enhance its operational efficiency. Despite being classified as having a very high risk potential, the dam's condition assessment in 2014 deemed it as satisfactory. Regular inspections are conducted every 5 years to ensure its structural integrity and safety. With its strategic location and significant storage capacity, Mountain Creek Dam remains a key infrastructure for water resource management and climate resilience in the area.
Overall, Mountain Creek Dam stands as a vital engineering feat in maintaining a balance between water regulation and environmental protection. As a focal point for water enthusiasts and climate advocates, the dam's role in mitigating flood risks and ensuring water supply highlights the importance of sustainable infrastructure development in the face of changing climate patterns. Its history, design, and operational features make it a noteworthy structure that underscores the intersection of water resource management and climate adaptation in the region.
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 Mountain Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Ck At Grand Prairie | 305 cfs | → |
| W Fk Trinity Rv At Grand Prairie | 664 cfs | → |
| Trinity Rv At Dallas | 2,510 cfs | → |
| Turtle Ck At Dallas | 8 cfs | → |
| Elm Fk Trinity Rv At Spur 348 | 545 cfs | → |
| W Fk Trinity Rv At Greenbelt Rd | 441 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mountain Creek Dam.
Track Mountain Creek 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 Mountain Creek Dam
Where does the data for Mountain Creek 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 Mountain Creek Dam.