Pertinent Data

Authorization: Flood Control Act approved October 23, 1962; Project Document HD 71, 88th Congress, 1st Session.

Location: At river mile 4.6 on Sanders Creek, a tributary of the Red River, about 1.5 miles southwest of Arthur City and 12 miles north of Paris in Lamar County, Texas.

Status: Complete.

Purpose: Flood control, water supply, recreation, and fish and wildlife.

History of Construction: Construction began on March 9, 1965; closure of the embankment occurred on November 29, 1966; and the diversion opening in the outlet works was closed in August 1967. The project was placed in full flood control operation on September 28, 1967. The top of conservation pool was reached on April 20, 1968.

Type of Structure: The earth-filled embankment is 7,080 feet long, excluding the spillway; rises 96 feet above the streambed; and has a top width of 32 feet.

Spillway & Outlet Works: The uncontrolled spillway is located in a saddle about 1,400 feet right of the right abutment. It is 1,700 feet long with a 100-foot bottom width at elevation 477.0 and has 1-on-3 side slopes. The outlet works consist of a morning-glory-type drop inlet with the crest at the top of the conservation pool; a 7-foot 3-inch conduit; and a stilling basin. A 24-inch low-flow pipe passes into the conduit at elevation 407.0, but is currently unusable. A 12-inch-diameter water supply pipe is provided. At maximum pool, the spillway capacity is 4,450 cubic feet per second (cfs), the low flow is 168 cfs, and the morning glory spillway is 1,186 cfs.

Hydrologic Data: The flood of record occurred in December 1971 with an estimated peak discharge of 30,600 cfs and a volume of 75,500 acre-feet, which is equivalent to 8.09 inches of runoff from the upstream drainage area.