VIDEO: Possum Kingdom Lake dam releases water to avoid overflow
PALO PINTO COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — The Brazos River Authority has opened one gate at the Morris Sheppard Dam at Possum Kingdom Lake, releasing approximately 9,400 cubic feet per second. To put this into perspective, a cubic foot is about the size of an inflated beach ball, meaning that approximately 9,400 beach balls worth of water flow out of the gate every second.
The dam was opened at 9:25 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30, because the lake had reached its maximum capacity (999 feet mean sea level), and the dam needed to release water to avoid overflow.
“If we were to allow the lake to fill to 1,000 feet msn, water could flow over the top of the gates, endangering the integrity of the dam. The release is necessary to keep the dam gates from being damaged. The release will continue until flows from upstream can be managed by the dam’s low flow or conduit releases,” the Brazos River Authority wrote.
Where to go, what to do in Texas when it’s too hot to handle
If you wish to get a closer look at the dam, you can visit the observation point, which is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays (Monday to Friday). However, if you plan to visit the river while the gate is open, please be cautious about rising river conditions. Please note that the Brazos River Authority does not recommend recreation on the river during gate releases.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
