Comal River Ws Scs Site 3 Dam

Comal River Ws Scs Site 3 Dam is an earth dam located in Comal County, Texas, built in 1974. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Comal River Ws Scs Site 3 Dam

The primary purpose of Comal River Ws Scs Site 3 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 Blieders Creek near New Braunfels.

The dam stands 60 feet tall and stretches 1,850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 19 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 6,911 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11 square miles. Completed in 1974, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/23/2023.

At 60 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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 HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateTexas
CountyComal
Nearest CityNew Braunfels
River/StreamBlieders Creek
Coordinates29.73965, -98.15659

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height60 ft
Dam Height58 ft
Dam Length1,850 ft
Year Completed1974 (52 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage6,911 acre-ft
Max Storage6,911 acre-ft
Normal Storage111 acre-ft
Surface Area19 acres
Drainage Area11 sq mi
Max Discharge42,084 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerCITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS;COMAL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT;COMAL-GUADALUPE SWCD;EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection05/23/2023
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDTX01550
Federal IDTX01550
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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