Canyon Lake Dam
Canyon Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Comal County, Texas, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Canyon Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Canyon Lake 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 Guadalupe River near New Braunfels.
The dam stands 224 feet tall and stretches 210 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8,308 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,208,350 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,425 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 02/02/2023.
At 224 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 | Comal |
| Nearest City | New Braunfels |
| River/Stream | Guadalupe River |
| Coordinates | 29.86917, -98.19762 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 224 ft |
| Dam Height | 224 ft |
| Dam Length | 210 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,208,350 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,208,350 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 378,900 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8,308 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,425 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 502,800 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 | 02/02/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX00004 |
| Federal ID | TX00004 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |