Wright Patman Dam
Encyclopedia
Wright Patman Dam is an earth-fill dam
across the Sulphur River
in northeast Texas
in the United States
. The water impounded by the dam forms Wright Patman Lake
.
); this is nine miles (14 km) southwest of Texarkana, Texas
. The dam straddles the border between Bowie County
and Cass County
.
The dam is 18,500 feet (5,639 m) long, with a 200 foot (61 m) wide spillway. The top of the dam is 286 feet (87 m) above sea level
, or 100 feet (30 m) above the riverbed.
was blocked and routed through the dam's control gates in 1953. The gates were closed and water impounded in 1956. In 1973, the project was renamed in honor of Congressman Wright Patman
of Texas.
The dam's design and construction were the responsibility of the New Orleans District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
. In 1973, responsibility for the dam and lake were transferred to the Fort Worth District of the Corps of Engineers.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
across the Sulphur River
Sulphur River
The Sulphur River is a river in northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas in the United States.-Geography:The Sulphur River begins at the confluence of its north and south forks along the Delta–Lamar county line...
in northeast Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The water impounded by the dam forms Wright Patman Lake
Wright Patman Lake
Wright Patman Lake is a reservoir in northeast Texas in the United States. The lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir formed on the Sulphur River in Bowie and Cass counties by Wright Patman Dam. The reservoir provides flood control and water conservation for the communities downstream...
.
Geography
Wright Patman Dam is located at 33.327 N, 94.161 W (WGS 84 datumWorld Geodetic System
The World Geodetic System is a standard for use in cartography, geodesy, and navigation. It comprises a standard coordinate frame for the Earth, a standard spheroidal reference surface for raw altitude data, and a gravitational equipotential surface that defines the nominal sea level.The latest...
); this is nine miles (14 km) southwest of Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana, Texas
Texarkana is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It effectively functions as one half of a city which crosses a state line — the other half, the city of Texarkana, Arkansas, lies on the other side of State Line Avenue...
. The dam straddles the border between Bowie County
Bowie County, Texas
Bowie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Texarkana, Texas - Texarkana, Arkansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 89,306. Its legal county seat is Boston, though its courthouse is located in New Boston...
and Cass County
Cass County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 30,438 people, 12,190 households, and 8,654 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 13,890 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
.
The dam is 18,500 feet (5,639 m) long, with a 200 foot (61 m) wide spillway. The top of the dam is 286 feet (87 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, or 100 feet (30 m) above the riverbed.
History
Wright Patman Dam (originally called Texarkana Dam) was authorized as part of the Flood Contract Act of 1946. Construction began in 1948, and the Sulphur RiverSulphur River
The Sulphur River is a river in northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas in the United States.-Geography:The Sulphur River begins at the confluence of its north and south forks along the Delta–Lamar county line...
was blocked and routed through the dam's control gates in 1953. The gates were closed and water impounded in 1956. In 1973, the project was renamed in honor of Congressman Wright Patman
Wright Patman
John William Wright Patman was a U.S. Congressman from Texas in Texas's 1st congressional district and chair of the United States House Committee on Banking and Currency .-Early life:...
of Texas.
The dam's design and construction were the responsibility of the New Orleans District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
. In 1973, responsibility for the dam and lake were transferred to the Fort Worth District of the Corps of Engineers.
External links
- Wright Patman Lake information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers