Refinery Dam dam
Refinery Dam
Refinery Dam, located in Howard County, Texas, is a private dam on the TR-Beals Creek. Built in 1976 by Forrest and Cotton, this earth dam stands at a height of 30 feet with a structural height of 36 feet and a length of 940 feet. With a storage capacity of 500 acre-feet and a surface area of 28.22 acres, the dam serves multiple purposes beyond flood control, making it a vital water resource in the region.
Managed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Refinery Dam is regularly inspected and regulated by state authorities. Although its hazard potential and condition assessment are not available, the dam has a moderate risk rating. Equipped with an uncontrolled spillway and two outlet gates, the dam is designed to handle a maximum discharge of 1690 cubic feet per second. Despite not being federally owned or funded, Refinery Dam plays a crucial role in water management and climate resilience efforts in the area.
With a history of serving the local community for over four decades, Refinery Dam continues to be a key infrastructure for water storage and management in Howard County, Texas. As climate change impacts water resources, dams like Refinery Dam play a critical role in mitigating risks and ensuring water security for the region. As stakeholders work towards enhancing the dam's resilience and safety measures, its importance as a water resource for both urban and agricultural needs becomes increasingly evident in the face of a changing climate.
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 Refinery Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Beals Ck Nr Westbrook | · | → |
| Colorado Rv Nr Gail | · | → |
| N Concho Rv Abv Sterling City | · | → |
| Colorado Rv At Colorado City | 0 cfs | → |
| Deep Ck Nr Dunn | · | → |
| N Concho Rv At Sterling City | 308 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Refinery Dam.
Track Refinery 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 Refinery Dam
Where does the data for Refinery 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 Refinery Dam.