Decker Creek Dam

Decker Creek Dam is an earth dam located in Travis County, Texas, built in 1967. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Decker Creek Dam

The primary purpose of Decker Creek Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Austin (local government). It impounds the Decker Creek.

The dam stands 83 feet tall and stretches 6,390 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,269 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 45,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 9 square miles. Completed in 1967, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/06/2014. That was 11 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 83 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Texas dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

High HazardNot Rated ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateTexas
CountyTravis
River/StreamDecker Creek
Coordinates30.28545, -97.59707

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height83 ft
Dam Height75 ft
Dam Length6,390 ft
Year Completed1967 (59 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage45,200 acre-ft
Max Storage45,200 acre-ft
Normal Storage33,940 acre-ft
Surface Area1,269 acres
Drainage Area9 sq mi
Max Discharge34,467 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerCITY OF AUSTIN
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Last Inspection08/06/2014
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDTX01089
Federal IDTX01089
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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