Cotton Lake Dam dam
Cotton Lake Dam
Cotton Lake Dam, located in Van Zandt, Texas, serves as a crucial water supply structure for the area. Built in 1970, this earth dam stands at 16 feet high and stretches for 770 feet along TR-CANEY CREEK. While it primarily caters to water supply needs, it also boasts a storage capacity of 96 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 52 acre-feet.
Despite its age, the dam's condition remains unrated, with a high risk assessment due to limited data availability. It lacks a spillway and has no associated locks, relying on a single outlet gate for water management. While it is not state-regulated, the dam undergoes regular inspections and has a history of modifications to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The surrounding area's potential hazard is not available, emphasizing the need for continued maintenance and risk management measures to safeguard the community and water resources supplied by Cotton Lake Dam.
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 Cotton Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Ck Nr Kemp | 1 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Wills Point | 111 cfs | → |
| Kings Ck At Sh 34 Nr Kaufman | 8 cfs | → |
| Sabine Rv Nr Mineola | 103 cfs | → |
| S Fk Sabine Rv Nr Quinlan | 7 cfs | → |
| Trinity Rv At W Cedar Creek Pkwy Nr Dosser | 1,830 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cotton Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Park Road Henderson County
- Private Road 7398 469, Wills Point
- Rains County
- Duck Cove Public Boat Ramp
- Fm 751 11438, Hunt County
Campgrounds
- Purtis Creek State Park
- Lake Tawakoni State Park
- Lake Holbrook Park - West
- Lake Holbrook Park - South
- Wind Point Park
Track Cotton 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 Cotton Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cotton 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 Cotton Lake Dam.