Operating a dam gate

More than 3 million people living in the Brazos River basin daily depend on water stored in the Brazos River Authority system of reservoirs.

Whether you use Brazos basin water in your home or work, or if you like to have fun on one of the Brazos River Authority’s reservoirs, you would likely be unable to do so had these dams not been built.

Three of the 11 reservoirs in the system are owned and operated by the BRA: Possum Kingdom, Granbury and Limestone.

The dams at these lakes are the backbone of the BRA’s reservoir system. And these huge barriers hold back an astounding volume of water.

Though many people have seen the huge structures that create these man-made lakes, a much smaller number have witnessed the opening and closing of the gates at these dams. This video hopes to provide some insight.

The BRA hired Washington D.C.-based Flying Colors Broadcasts to produce this educational video. The company visited each of the BRA-owned and operated reservoirs capturing awe-inspiring footage of Possum Kingdom Lake’s Morris Sheppard Dam, Lake Limestone’s Sterling C. Robertson Dam, and Lake Granbury’s DeCordova Bend Dam. Members of the BRA management team and reservoir managers were interviewed at each location, sharing thoughts and insights.

Gate operations aren’t all we do. Check out our video highlighting the BRA’s other responsibilities here.

And don’t forget to watch our video addressing one of our more frequently asked questions: Why are the lake levels fluctuating? Go here.