North San Gabriel Dam
North San Gabriel Dam is an earth dam located in Williamson County, Texas, built in 1980. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About North San Gabriel Dam
The primary purpose of North San Gabriel 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 Usace - Fort Worth District (federal). It impounds the North Fork San Gabriel River near Georgetown.
The dam stands 162 feet tall and stretches 6,650 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,310 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 236,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 246 square miles. Completed in 1980, the structure is 46 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 04/16/2025.
At 162 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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 | Williamson |
| Nearest City | Georgetown |
| River/Stream | North Fork San Gabriel River |
| Coordinates | 30.66727, -97.72553 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 162 ft |
| Dam Height | 162 ft |
| Dam Length | 6,650 ft |
| Year Completed | 1980 (46 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 236,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 236,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 37,100 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,310 acres |
| Drainage Area | 246 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 342,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | USACE - Fort Worth District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 04/16/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX08006 |
| Federal ID | TX08006 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |