Authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of June 20, 1938, and modified by the Flood Control Acts of August 11, 1939; September 3, 1954; and October 27, 1965, Addicks and Barker Reservoirs are a flood damage reduction project in the Galveston District. Addicks and Barker Reservoirs prevent downstream flooding of Buffalo Bayou in the City of Houston. The construction cost of over $4 million appears small when compared to the giant saving which have resulted. Since its completion in 1945, the project has prevented flood damages estimated to be in excess of $16,372,000.00 million.

Addicks Dam

• Construction started in May of 1946
• Completed in December of 1948
• Earthen dam embankment, 61,166 feet long
• Watershed – 136 square miles
• Outlet structure – 5 conduits 6 feet high by 8 feet wide 252 feet long
• Maximum release – 7,852 cubic feet per second (cfs)
• High Point of Dam – 121.0 feet NAVD 1988
• Natural Ground ends of Dam – North end 108.0 feet & West end 112.0 feet, NAVD1988
• Approximate Boundary Gov’t-owned land – 103.0 feet NAVD 1988
• Record Pool March 1992 – 97.46 feet NAVD 1988
• April 27-28, 2009 Flood (Second Highest Pool) – 96.9 feet NAVD 1988
• Approx. shoulder elevation of State Hwy 6 – 96.0 feet NAVD 1988
• Outlet Structure Invert – 67.5 feet NAVD 1988

Barker Dam

• Construction started in February of 1942
• Completed in February of 1945
• Earthen dam embankment 71,900 feet long
• Watershed – 130 square miles
• Outlet structure – 5 conduits 7 feet high by 9 feet wide 190 feet long
• Maximum release – 8,734 cubic feet per second
• High Point of Dam – 113.1 feet NAVD 1988
• Natural Ground both ends of Dam – 104.0 feet NAVD1988
• Approximate Boundary Gov’t-owned land – 95.0 feet NAVD 1988
• Record Pool March 1992 – 93.60 feet NAVD 1988
• Approx. shoulder elevation of Westheimer Parkway – 93.21 feet NAVD 1988
• April 27-28, 2009 Flood (Seventh Highest Pool) – 91.21 feet NAVD 1988
• Outlet Structure Invert – 70.2 feet NAVD 1988