Dry Devils and Lowrey Ws Scs Site 8 Dam is an earth dam located in Sutton County, Texas, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 34 ft34 ft tall and 1,674 ft long, taller than 78% 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 8 Dam
The primary purpose of Dry Devils and Lowrey Ws Scs Site 8 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-dry Devils River near Sonora.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 1,674 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 33 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,981 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 7 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 34 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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
| State | Texas |
| County | Sutton |
| Nearest City | Sonora |
| River/Stream | Tr-dry Devils River |
| Coordinates | 30.60005, -100.65068 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,674 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,981 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,981 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 151 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 33 acres |
| Drainage Area | 7 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 11,831 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Edwards Plateau Swcd;sutton County |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 11/14/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX02309 |
| Federal ID | TX02309 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |