Dry Devils and Lowrey Ws Scs Site 6 Dam

Dry Devils and Lowrey Ws Scs Site 6 Dam is an earth dam located in Sutton County, Texas, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection11/14/2018
Height43 ft
Built196066 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 43 ft
43 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

43 ft tall and 1,430 ft long, taller than 89% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.

About Dry Devils and Lowrey Ws Scs Site 6 Dam

The primary purpose of Dry Devils and Lowrey Ws Scs Site 6 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 Edwards Plateau Swcd;sutton County (local government). It impounds the Tr-meckel Draw near Sonora.

The dam stands 43 feet tall and stretches 1,430 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 23 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,187 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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 11/14/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

At 43 feet, this dam is taller than 89% of dams nationwide.

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

StateTexas
CountySutton
Nearest CitySonora
River/StreamTr-meckel Draw
Coordinates30.68527, -100.62780

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height43 ft
Dam Height43 ft
Dam Length1,430 ft
Year Completed1960 (66 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage2,187 acre-ft
Max Storage2,187 acre-ft
Normal Storage108 acre-ft
Surface Area23 acres
Drainage Area5 sq mi
Max Discharge10,738 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerEdwards Plateau Swcd;sutton County
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Last Inspection11/14/2018
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDTX02301
Federal IDTX02301
More InfoState Dam Safety Program