Barker Reservoir

Barker Reservoir is a flood control structure in Houston, Texas which prevents downstream flooding of Buffalo Bayou, the city's principal river. The reservoir operates in conjunction with Addicks Reservoir to the northeast, which impounds Mayde and Bear Creeks, two tributaries of the Buffalo. Both reservoirs were authorized under the Rivers and Harbors Act of June 20, 1938, which were modified by the Flood Control Acts of August 11, 1938; September 3, 1954; and October 27, 1965.

This article is about the Barker Reservoir near Houston, Texas. For the reservoir near Nederland, Colorado, see Barker Meadow Reservoir.
Barker Reservoir
LocationHouston, Texas,
United States
Coordinates29.769674°N 95.646335°W / 29.769674; -95.646335
TypeReservoir
Basin countriesUnited States

George Bush Park, operated by Harris County, is located entirely within the reservoir.[1]

Houston annexed the Addicks area in 1972.[2]

Location

Barker Reservoir is southwest of the intersection of Interstate 10 and State Highway 6, about one mile (1.6 km) south of Addicks in western Harris County.

The Barker Reservoir spillway is located at 29°46′10.86″N 95°38′47.09″W.

The Barker Dam and Reservoir is named for Eldred Barker (1775–1842), an early pioneer from Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, whose 1839 Headright Grant comprises 320 acres of the site which was first surveyed on September 22, 1842.[3][4]

Aerial view of the Barker Reservoir spillway in 2016, looking southeast.

Construction

Barker Reservoir is formed by a rolled earthen dam 72,900 feet (22,200 m) long. A 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) gravel road extends along the top of the dam. The top of the dam has a maximum elevation of 112.5 feet (34.3 m) above the N.G.V.D. and is 36 feet high in places.[5] The maximum storage capacity of the reservoir is 209,000 acre feet (258,000,000 cubic metres; 258 gigalitres),[6] Combined with the adjacent Addicks Reservoir to the northeast, the total storage capacity is about 410,000 acre feet (510,000,000 m3; 510 GL).[7]

From 2008 to 2014, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District implemented $4.4 million in interim risk reduction measures (at Addicks and Barker dams) to address deficiencies until long-term solutions could be identified and executed. In 2014, staff completed a Dam Safety Modification Study to evaluate long-term repairs and address issues associated with the dams. Staff presented this information during a public meeting October 29 at Bear Creek Community Center in Houston to discuss these plans and gather feedback. Construction is scheduled to begin May 2015 with an estimated completion date of 2019.

Benefits

It is estimated the Addicks and Barker Reservoirs, along with other federal construction projects on Buffalo Bayou and its tributaries, will prevent average annual flood damages of $16,372,000 to the city of Houston.

References
  1. "George Bush Park". Harris County Precinct 3. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  2. Lee, Renée C. "Annexed Kingwood split on effects." Houston Chronicle. Sunday October 8, 2006. A21. Retrieved on July 6, 2011. Print version exclusively has the information cited; the information is not included in the online edition.
  3. Harris County, Texas Land Records
  4. Browne Family Origin and History by Mary Purcell Laborde
  5. Rogers, Adam (29 August 2017). "With Harvey, Imperfect Engineering Meets a Perfect Storm". Wired. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  6. Addicks and Barker Reservoirs - Reservoir Information Archived 2009-06-18 at the Wayback Machine United States Army Corps of Engineers. Last accessed July 3, 2009.
  7. Barker Reservoir, Handbook of Texas Online, 2008. Last accessed July 3, 2009.
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