Inks Dam was constructed from 1936 to 1938 and forms Inks Lake

Inks Lake

Inks Lake is a reservoir on the Colorado River in the Texas Hill Country in the United States. The reservoir was formed in 1938 by the construction of Inks Dam by the Lower Colorado River Authority. Located near Burnet, Texas, the lake serves to provide flood control in tandem with Lake Buchanan...

, one of the seven Texas Highland Lakes

Texas Highland Lakes

The Texas Highland Lakes is a chain of seven reservoirs in Central Texas formed by several dams on the Colorado River. This portion of the river winds southeast from its headwaters near the border of Texas and New Mexico to Matagorda Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...

. The dam is located at 30.7307 -98.3842 about 10 miles (16 km) west-southwest of Burnet, Texas

Burnet, Texas

Burnet is a city in and the county seat of Burnet County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,735 at the 2000 census.Both the city and the county were named for David Gouverneur Burnet, the first president of the Republic of Texas. He also served as Vice President during the...

. It was constructed to provide hydroelectric power, and helps buffer the large changes in water flow Buchanan Dam

Buchanan Dam

The Buchanan Dam is a multiple arch dam located on the Colorado River of Texas.-Description:The dam forms Lake Buchanan and was the first dam to be completed in the chain of Texas Highland Lakes...

, 3 miles (5 km) upstream, tends to produce. It is the smallest dam in the Texas Highland Lakes

Texas Highland Lakes

The Texas Highland Lakes is a chain of seven reservoirs in Central Texas formed by several dams on the Colorado River. This portion of the river winds southeast from its headwaters near the border of Texas and New Mexico to Matagorda Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...

 chain, and is the only one that does not have floodgate

Floodgate

Floodgates are adjustable gates used to control water flow in flood barriers, reservoir, river, stream, or levee systems. They may be designed to set spillway crest heights in dams, to adjust flow rates in sluices and canals, or they may be designed to stop water flow entirely as part of a levee or...

s. Water passes through the hydroelectric turbines

Water turbine

A water turbine is a rotary engine that takes energy from moving water.Water turbines were developed in the 19th century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now they are mostly used for electric power generation. They harness a clean and renewable energy...

 or over the spillway

Spillway

A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...

.