East Lake Dam dam
East Lake Dam
East Lake Dam, located in Hillister, Texas, is a private earth dam that was completed in 1949 for irrigation purposes. The dam stands at 22 feet high and spans 770 feet in length, with a maximum storage capacity of 327 acre-feet. It serves the surrounding area by providing water for irrigation, recreation, and general water supply needs.
Despite being rebuilt by the owner after a breach in 1996, East Lake Dam is not regulated by the state and has no current hazard potential rating. The spillway, which is uncontrolled, has a width of 164 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 3,885 cubic feet per second. The dam is situated on the TR-Magnus Branch river and has a drainage area of 3.01 square miles.
East Lake Dam presents a moderate risk level according to risk assessment, but its condition assessment is currently not rated. The emergency action plan for the dam was last revised in 2011, and the dam has two uncontrolled outlet gates. With its rich history and importance for water resource management in the region, East Lake Dam continues to be a significant feature for water resource and climate enthusiasts to study and appreciate.
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 East Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Neches Rv Nr Town Bluff | 3,350 cfs | → |
| Neches Rv Nr Rockland | 2,420 cfs | → |
| Village Ck Nr Kountze | 1,260 cfs | → |
| Menard Ck Nr Rye | 54 cfs | → |
| Neches Rv At Evadale | 4,770 cfs | → |
| Trinity Rv At Romayor | 8,140 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near East Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Tyler County
- Jasper County
- Fm 418 Boat Ramp
- Baby Galvez Landing
- Sandy Creek Public Boat Ramp
- Us 96 Hardin County
Campgrounds
- Lake Tejas City Park
- Indian Village Campground
- Alabama - Coushatta Lake Tombigbee
- B.A. Steinhagen Lake Campground
- Campers Cove - Town Bluff Reservoir
- Magnolia Ridge - Town Bluff Reservoir
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Preserve Boundary In The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Big Sandy Creek
- Confluence With Big Sandy Creek To Confluence With The Neches River
- Town Bluff Dam To Hwy 96 Bridge
- 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 69 To Ba Steinhagen Reservoir
Track East 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 East Lake Dam
Where does the data for East 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 East Lake Dam.