Lake Comanche Dam
Lake Comanche Dam is an earth dam located in Comanche County, Texas, built in 1948. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Lake Comanche Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Comanche Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Lake Comanche Property Owners Association (private). It impounds the Mercer Creek near Newburg.
The dam stands 74 feet tall and stretches 3,125 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 269 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 9,192 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 38 square miles. Completed in 1948, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/27/2023.
At 74 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 | Comanche |
| Nearest City | Newburg |
| River/Stream | Mercer Creek |
| Coordinates | 31.81903, -98.57868 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 74 ft |
| Dam Height | 48 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,125 ft |
| Year Completed | 1948 (78 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 9,192 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 9,192 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,800 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 269 acres |
| Drainage Area | 38 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 42,769 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | LAKE COMANCHE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/27/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX03491 |
| Federal ID | TX03491 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |