Palo Duro Creek facts for kids

Palo Duro Creek is a river that begins in Texas. It forms when two smaller streams, North Palo Duro Creek and South Palo Duro Creek, meet north of Morse, Texas. The creek then flows generally towards the northeast. It eventually joins the Beaver River in Oklahoma. This meeting point is east-northeast of Hardesty, Oklahoma, and west of Balko, Oklahoma. It's also north of U.S. Route 412, near the border of Texas County and Beaver County.

Where Palo Duro Creek Begins

The two creeks that form Palo Duro Creek each have their own starting points.

North Palo Duro Creek

North Palo Duro Creek starts in Texas. Its origin is near the border between Dallam County and Hartley County. This area is east of Dalhart and west of Cactus.

South Palo Duro Creek

South Palo Duro Creek also begins in Texas. It starts east of the border between Hartley County and Moore County. This location is west-northwest of Dumas, Texas.

The Palo Duro Dam Project

Palo Duro Creek has a dam built across it, called Palo Duro Dam. This dam is located about 10 miles north of Spearman, Texas.

Why the Dam Was Built

The dam was approved in 1985. Its main purposes were to store water for people to use and to create a place for fun activities like recreation. The dam is made of earth and is 128 feet tall. It is also 3,800 feet long. It can hold almost 61,000 acre-feet of water when full.

Who Built the Dam

The dam was finished in March 1991. It was built by the County of Moore, which paid for most of it (72%). The County of Hansford and the City of Stinnett also helped fund the project.

Why the Lake Isn't Full

Even though the dam was built, the lake behind it has never reached more than a small part of its full size. This is because both the creek and the lake depend on rainwater runoff to fill up. The area where the dam is located does not get much rain and often has droughts. This means there isn't enough water to fill the reservoir.