Lake Sam Rayburn is a flood control lake managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). They are the largest owner/operator of hydroelectric power plants in the US and one of the largest in the world. Sam Rayburn Reservoir is the largest body of water in Texas, with a large watershed in the Angelina and Neches River basins.
Facts about Sam Rayburn Dam and Reservoir: The Total Length of the dam, including the Spillway and Dike, is 19,430 feet, and the crest elevation of the spillway is 176 feet. The normal pool is 164.4 feet at 112,590 surface water acres. The dam has two 10ft by 20ft gate-controlled conduits (flood gates). The power plant comprises two hydro-turbines that can produce up to 26,000 kW each, equaling 52,000 kW. The highest recorded level was 175.35ft on June 3, 2021. [So the spillway, at 176', has never been used.]
The River and Harbor Act of March 2, 1945, authorized the starting phase of construction; it was modified on June 30, 1948, and the project's name changed from McGee Bend to Sam Rayburn on September 11, 1963.
The cost of the total project was $68,315,000. Construction of the project was initiated on September 7, 1956; deliberate impoundment began on March 29, 1965, and Power generation started on September 23, 1965.
Lower Neches Valley Authority (LNVA) furnished assurances that it would contribute $3,000,000 to construct Sam Rayburn Reservoir. By contributing, the LNVA reserves the right to withdraw up to 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) for its own use.
Tom Webb is the Regional Hydropower Manager, Piney Woods Region, Sam Rayburn, and RD Willis Power Plants. Tom is no stranger to Hydro Power; as a young man growing up, Tom’s father, Glen Webb, worked in and around hydroelectric powerhouses as an electrician and operator for 35 years. In March 2000, Tom started as a mechanic at Sam Rayburn, then transferred to Lake Whitney in September of that same year. It wasn’t long after he returned back to Sam Rayburn in September 2006 and became manager in 2011.
Tom and a crew of 13 manage and operate three powerhouses: Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Town Bluff/ Dam B/BA Steinhagen Lake, and Lake Whitney. The powerhouse at Lake Whitney has its own maintenance supervisor, admin, and maintenance team to ensure the plant equipment is maintained and stays in operational condition. The powerhouses are monitored 24 hours a day, and these men and women work to maintain them to ensure that power can be supplied to customers.
In a recent interview, Tom explained how important Hydropower is to our area. The Southwestern Power Administration markets the power generated by Sam Rayburn Powerhouse.
Entergy, Sam Houston Electric Cooperative, and Jasper/Newton Electric Cooperative are the three transmission lines connecting to the Sam Rayburn Substation. Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency (SRMPA), which makes up Liberty, Livingston, and Jasper, along with other power customers, purchases power for all these entities. The power that services the City of Jasper is purchased from SRMPA and Entergy and can come from several different sources, one of which is Sam Rayburn Powerhouse.
East Texas is very fortunate to have these lakes that service our local areas. Recreational activities bring much-needed revenue to local vendors as well as the powerhouse produces power for a wide range of customers.
Link to Interview with Tom Webb
