Thornton Lake Dam dam
Thornton Lake Dam
Thornton Lake Dam, located in Navarro, Texas, was completed in 1977 by the USDA NRCS and serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, small fish pond, and recreation. This private dam stands at 25 feet in height and has a storage capacity of 125 acre-feet. Situated on TR-Chambers Creek, it is classified as an earth dam with a buttress core type.
Despite not being regulated by the state, Thornton Lake Dam has a high hazard potential, indicating the potential risk associated with its operation. The dam does not have a spillway and is equipped with one outlet gate. Although it is not currently rated for its condition, the risk assessment for this dam is marked as high, emphasizing the need for thorough monitoring and maintenance to ensure public safety and environmental protection. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Thornton Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study in the management and maintenance of earth dams in private ownership.
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 Thornton Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Waxahachie Ck Nr Bardwell | 1 cfs | → |
| Chambers Ck Nr Rice | 18 cfs | → |
| Chambers Ck At Fm 55 Nr Avalon | 7 cfs | → |
| Richland Ck Nr Dawson | 0 cfs | → |
| Trinity Rv At W Cedar Creek Pkwy Nr Dosser | 2,950 cfs | → |
| Richland Ck At Hwy 22 Nr Mertens | 309 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thornton Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Ellis County
- Beach Road, Ennis
- High View Marina Road, Ennis
- Beach Road Ennis
- Old Park Road Ellis County
- Northwest 3360 Road, Frost
Campgrounds
- Mott - Bardwell Lake
- Highview - Bardwell Lake
- Waxahachie - Bardwell Lake
- Wolf Creek - Navarro Mills Reservoir
- Oak Park - Navarro Mills Reservoir
- Pecan Point - Navarro Mills Reservoir
Track Thornton 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 Thornton Lake Dam
Where does the data for Thornton 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 Thornton Lake Dam.