A dam at a west Fort Worth lake will undergo repairs early next year to address damage to a portion of the structure.
City staff discovered the bowing — the bending or curving — of the headwall at the Luther Lake dam during a May 2024 inspection, city spokesperson Linda Sterne confirmed to the Report in an email. The bowing was caused by the weight and pressure of the soil located between Clayton Road and the headwall.
Sterne said no properties have been damaged or leaks resulted from the deformation of the dam, located in the Ridglea Hills neighborhood.
However, the structure must be repaired to comply with state regulations on dams to protect properties and homes located downstream, District 3 City Council member Michael Crain said in a statement.
Fort Worth officials will replace the headwall at the dam between Clayton Road and Luther Lake beginning in February. (Courtesy photo | City of Fort Worth)
“There is no immediate danger,” said Crain, who represents the neighborhood.
Fort Worth officials have done a “decent job” maintaining the lake’s infrastructure, said Frank Retzlaff, a Ridglea Hills resident of 12 years.
The lake, well known among Fort Worth families for its annual Christmas light displays, spans 10 acres of water and borders properties located off Rowan Drive and Brants Lane.
Luther Lake was originally sustained by a natural embankment. It was rebuilt in 1988 after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined it was unsafe for homes and properties downstream, Retzlaff and lifelong Luther Lake resident Tom Law said.
The new dam “saved” the lake, Retzlaff said.
The properties most at jeopardy were those located off Tamworth and Cumberland roads, Ridglea Hills resident Michael Ziegler said.
Luther Lake in Ridglea Hills, pictured Dec. 3, spans 10 acres. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
“Everybody’s glad it got done safely,” Retzlaff said. “Everyone that lives on the lake loves it.”
Fort Worth officials are responsible for the maintenance of city-owned dams including those at Lake Como, Lake Worth, Fosdic Lake, French Lake, Willow Lake, Echo Lake and Greenbriar Lake.
Restoration of the Luther Lake wall will begin in February after residents are notified. Repairs will go on for about eight weeks, Sterne said.
City staff will replace the existing headwall, improve the drainage to prevent future deterioration and restore the area between the sidewalk at Clayton Road and the new headwall once the project is complete.
Construction will require temporary closure of a lane on Clayton Road.
Nearby residents will be informed about updates regarding the dam through neighborhood groups, notices and the city’s website, officials said.
Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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