Comal River Ws Scs Site 4 Dam
Comal River Ws Scs Site 4 Dam is an earth dam located in Comal County, Texas, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Comal River Ws Scs Site 4 Dam
The primary purpose of Comal River Ws Scs Site 4 Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by City Of New Braunfels;comal County Commissioners Court;comal-guadalupe Swcd;edwards Aquifer Authority (local government). It impounds the Bear Creek near New Braunfels.
The dam stands 73 feet tall and stretches 1,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 22 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,293 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 13 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/06/2023.
At 73 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.
Location
| State | Texas |
| County | Comal |
| Nearest City | New Braunfels |
| River/Stream | Bear Creek |
| Coordinates | 29.65122, -98.27744 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 73 ft |
| Dam Height | 73 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,293 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,293 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 22 acres |
| Drainage Area | 13 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 19,612 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS;COMAL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT;COMAL-GUADALUPE SWCD;EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/06/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX01546 |
| Federal ID | TX01546 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |