USGS Water-Year Summary 2023

08210500 Lake Corpus Christi near Mathis, TX

LOCATION - Lat 28°02'17", long 97°52'15" referenced to North American Datum of 1927, Jim Wells County, TX, Hydrologic Unit 12110111, on right upstream corner of outlet tower at right end of Wesley E. Seale Dam on Nueces River, 0.6 mi upstream from bridge on State Highway 359, and 4.5 mi southwest of Mathis.

DRAINAGE AREA - 16,502 mi².

REVISIONS HISTORY - WSP 1923: 1953(M), 1957(M). WDR US-2007: Drainage area.

SURFACE-WATER RECORDS

PERIOD OF RECORD - Sept. 1948 to current year (contents). PERIOD OF RECORD, Water-Quality.-- CHEMICAL DATA: Feb. 1975 to Sept. 1976, Mar. 1999 to Sept. 2010. BIOCHEMICAL DATA: Feb. 1975 to Sept. 1976. PESTICIDE DATA: Mar. 1999 to Sept. 2010.

GAGE - Water-stage recorder. Supplemental water-stage recorder operated by City of Corpus Christi. Datum of gage is NAVD88 above -0.927 ft. Datum of gage is NGVD of 1929. Prior to Oct. 1, 1957, nonrecording gage at various sites 0.2 mi upstream at datum 0.52 ft higher. Oct. 1, 1957, to Apr. 3, 1961, nonrecording gage near left end of Mathis Dam 0.2 mi upstream at present datum. Satellite telemeter at station.

COOPERATION - Capacity curve 5-C from a Jan. 1987 survey provided by the City of Corpus Christi. Figures for new capacity curve were used beginning Oct. 1, 1989. Prior to Aug. 31, 1998, the City of Corpus Christi provided daily observer readings.

REMARKS - Some records listed in the "Period of Record" for surface water and water quality may not be available electronically. Mathis Dam was completed and storage began July 24, 1934. The original capacity at spillway crest (elevation, 74.5 ft) was 54,000 acre-ft, but by Mar. 1948 had decreased to 39,400 acre-ft because of sedimentation. Wesley E. Seale Dam was completed and deliberate impoundment began on Apr. 26, 1958, submerging the old Mathis Dam. Wesley E. Seale Dam is a rolled earthfill dam, 5,930 ft long, including two spillways. The 1,320-foot north spillway has 33 gates that are operated by movable hydraulic lifts. The 1,080-foot south spillway has 27 gates that are electrically operated from the control tower. The gates were repaired and modified in Aug. 1966. All gates in both spillways are 37.5 by 8.75 ft wide. The dam is owned by the City of Corpus Christi. Water for municipal supply for the City of Corpus Christi is released downstream through a 4.0-foot-diameter cylinder valve and three 2.5- by 4.0-foot rectangular openings. The releases are diverted from the river at Calallen 35 mi downstream for domestic, municipal, irrigation, mining, and industrial uses in the Corpus Christi area. The cities of Alice, Beeville, and Mathis withdraw water from the lake for municipal use. Conservation pool storage is 269,900 acre-ft. Data regarding the dam are given in the following table:

                                                                                  Elevation (feet)
Top of dam....................................................................        106.0
Top of north spillway gates...................................................         94.5
Top of south spillway gates...................................................         94.0
Crest of spillways............................................................         88.0
Lowest gated outlet (invert)..................................................         55.5 

Beginning in the 2006 Water Year, water-quality data published with this site are now published as:

Site ID          Site name    
280238097521301  Lake Corpus Christi Site AC near Mathis, Tx
280656097542801  Lake Corpus Christi Site BC near Mathis, Tx
280921097562701  Lake Corpus Christi Site CC near Mathis, Tx
281108097544701  Lake Corpus Christi Site DC near Mathis, Tx
281411097564801  Lake Corpus Christi Site EC near Mathis, Tx

EXTREMES FOR PERIOD OF RECORD - Maximum contents, 320,000 acre-ft Sept. 22, 1967 and Sept. 12, 1971, elevation, 94.82 ft, Sept. 22, 1967; minimum contents, 14,740 acre-ft, May 5, 1951, elevation, 67.62 ft.