Winter Valley Estates Dam dam
Winter Valley Estates Dam
Winter Valley Estates Dam, located in Kenefick, Texas, is a private earth dam with a primary purpose of recreation. Constructed in 1970 by Woodward-Clyde / H Platt Thompson, this buttress dam stands at a height of 26 feet and stretches 340 feet in length, creating a storage capacity of 201 acre-feet. The dam overlooks Long John Creek and has a spillway width of 70 feet.
While the dam has not been rated for its condition, it has been inspected periodically, with the last inspection conducted in April 2011. With an uncontrolled spillway and moderate risk assessment, the dam poses a potential hazard, although specific risk management measures and emergency action plans are not currently available. Despite lacking state regulatory oversight, the dam continues to serve as a recreational asset, offering a surface area of 7.7 acres for visitors to enjoy. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, the Winter Valley Estates Dam presents an intriguing case study in private dam ownership and management.
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 Winter Valley Estates Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Trinity Rv At Liberty | 7,570 cfs | → |
| Luce Bayou Abv Lk Houston Nr Huffman | 1 cfs | → |
| Coastal Water Authority Canal Nr Dayton | 858 cfs | → |
| Cedar Bayou Nr Crosby | 1,630 cfs | → |
| E Fk San Jacinto Rv Nr New Caney | 649 cfs | → |
| Peach Ck At Splendora | 29 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Winter Valley Estates Dam.
Boat launches
- East Freeway, Wallisville
- Beaumont Highway Harris County
- Boat Ramp
- Hugo Point County Park
- Garrett Road 13400-13610, Houston
- Sheldon Lake Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Lake Houston Wilderness Park
- Forest Retreat Rv Park
- Hugo Point County Park
- White Memorial County Park
- Mccollum County Park
- Fort Anahuac County Park
Paddle runs
- Preserve Boundary In The Lance Rosier Unit To Confluence With Pine Island Bayou
- Farm To Market Road 1375 To East Fork Of San Jacinto River
- Preserve Boundary In The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Trinity River
- Preserve Boundary In The Lance Rosier Unit To Confluence With The Neches River
- Confluence With Big Sandy Creek To Confluence With The Neches River
- Preserve Boundary Of The Big Sandy Unit To Confluence With Village Creek
Track Winter Valley Estates 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 Winter Valley Estates Dam
Where does the data for Winter Valley Estates 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 Winter Valley Estates Dam.