Vaughn Lake Dam dam
Vaughn Lake Dam
Vaughn Lake Dam, located in Kaufman, Texas, serves as a crucial water supply structure for the region, primarily drawing water from the TR-BOIS DARC CREEK. Built in 1963, the earth dam stands at 18 feet in height and stretches for 1050 feet, providing a storage capacity of 106 acre-feet. Despite its essential role in water management, the dam's condition assessment was rated as poor in April 2021, highlighting the need for potential maintenance and upgrades to ensure its long-term functionality.
The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 68 feet, capable of discharging a maximum of 418 cubic feet per second. While the hazard potential is not available, the risk assessment categorizes the structure as moderate (3), emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and risk management measures. With the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) overseeing state regulation, inspection, and enforcement, Vaughn Lake Dam remains a critical component of the water infrastructure in the area, necessitating continued attention to its maintenance and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of the surrounding community and environment.
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 Vaughn Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Trinity Rv Nr Rosser | 5,310 cfs | → |
| Trinity Rv At W Cedar Creek Pkwy Nr Dosser | 5,220 cfs | → |
| Kings Ck At Sh 34 Nr Kaufman | 33 cfs | → |
| Cedar Ck Nr Kemp | 14 cfs | → |
| E Fk Trinity Rv Nr Crandall | 1,340 cfs | → |
| Chambers Ck Nr Rice | 735 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Vaughn Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- East Cedar Creek Parkway 2101, Mabank
- Beach Road, Ennis
- Beach Road Ennis
- Park Road Henderson County
- High View Marina Road, Ennis
- County Road 2830 15500, Henderson County
Campgrounds
Track Vaughn 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 Vaughn Lake Dam
Where does the data for Vaughn 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 Vaughn Lake Dam.