Utopia Park Lake Dam dam
Utopia Park Lake Dam
Utopia Park Lake Dam, located in Uvalde, Texas, is a vital structure for water resource and climate enthusiasts. Completed in 1958, this buttress-type dam serves as a recreational hub with a primary purpose of providing leisure activities for the community. With a height of 12 feet and a length of 350 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, ensuring a sustainable water supply for the area.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Utopia Park Lake Dam plays a crucial role in maintaining the surrounding ecosystem and providing a recreational retreat for residents and visitors alike. Despite its high hazard potential and risk assessment rating of 2 (considered high), the dam remains structurally sound and has not been rated for its condition. The dam lacks a spillway and is equipped with one outlet gate, emphasizing the need for proper maintenance and inspection to ensure the safety of the community and the environment.
As a significant landmark in the Sabinal River watershed, Utopia Park Lake Dam stands as a testament to the importance of water resource management and climate resilience. Enthusiasts interested in exploring the intersection of infrastructure, recreation, and environmental stewardship will find this dam to be a fascinating case study in sustainable development and natural resource conservation.
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 Utopia Park Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sabinal Rv Bl Mill Ck Nr Vanderpool | 0 cfs | → |
| Seco Ck At Miller Ranch Nr Utopia | 2 cfs | → |
| Sabinal Rv Nr Sabinal | 1 cfs | → |
| Frio Rv At Concan | 29 cfs | → |
| Dry Frio Rv Nr Reagan Wells | 5 cfs | → |
| Hondo Ck Nr Tarpley | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Utopia Park Lake Dam.
Campgrounds
Track Utopia Park 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 Utopia Park Lake Dam
Where does the data for Utopia Park 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 Utopia Park Lake Dam.