Lake Gladewater (Sabine River Basin)
Lake Gladewater is located in the northwest of the City of Gladewater in Upshur County on Glade Creek, a tributary of the Sabine River. The City of Gladewater owns the water rights to Lake Gladewater. The City also owns, operates and maintains associated Gladewater Dam for the purposes of municipal water supply and recreation. Construction for Lake Gladewater and Gladewater Dam started on October 15, 1951. The dam was completed and impoundment began on August 29, 1952. The design engineer for the project was Otto Staerker and Joe E. Ward. The general contractor was E. E. Contractor Co., from South Houston, Texas.
According to TWDB 2000 volumetric survey, the lake had an original capacity of 4,738 acre-feet and surface area of 481 acres at the spillway elevation of 300 feet above mean sea level at the time of construction. The drainage area above the dam is thirty-five square miles.