Macon Lake Dam dam
Macon Lake Dam
Macon Lake Dam, located in Caldwell, Texas, is a private earth dam completed in 1964 with a primary purpose of fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. With a height of 12 feet and a length of 600 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 106 acre-feet and a surface area of 17 acres. It is situated on Copperas Creek and is under the jurisdiction of the Galveston District of the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Despite being privately owned and not regulated by the state, Macon Lake Dam poses a high risk due to its condition assessment being not rated and its hazard potential being not available. The dam does not have a spillway and is equipped with one outlet gate. Although no recent inspection data is available, the dam is marked as requiring state permitting and inspection, indicating that it must adhere to certain safety standards.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Macon Lake Dam serves as an interesting case study of a privately owned structure with potential risks. The lack of available data on its condition and hazard potential highlights the importance of regular inspections and maintenance to ensure the safety of such infrastructure. Further research and monitoring of Macon Lake Dam could provide valuable insights into the management and regulation of private dams in the US.
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 Macon Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Plum Ck Nr Luling | 20 cfs | → |
| San Marcos Rv At Luling | 91 cfs | → |
| Sandy Fork Ck At Hwy 97 Nr Waelder | · | → |
| Plum Ck At Lockhart | 20 cfs | → |
| Peach Creek At Hwy 90 Nr Waelder | · | → |
| Guadalupe Rv At Cr 143 Nr Gonzales | 186 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Macon Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- U.S. 90, Luling
- Stairtown Road 515, Luling
- Plant Road, Kingsbury
- Saint Joseph Street 839, Maxwell
- State Park Road 17065-17099, Kingsbury
- South Street Joseph Street, Gonzales
Campgrounds
- Palmetto State Park
- Group Camping
- Lockhart State Park
- Independence City Park
- Lake Wood Rec Area
- Leisure Resort On The San Marco River
Fishing spots
Track Macon 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 Macon Lake Dam
Where does the data for Macon 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 Macon Lake Dam.