Brownwood Laterals Ws Scs Site 17 Dam is an earth dam located in Brown County, Texas, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 37 ft37 ft tall and 1,430 ft long, taller than 83% 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 Brownwood Laterals Ws Scs Site 17 Dam
The primary purpose of Brownwood Laterals Ws Scs Site 17 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 Brown County;pecan Bayou Swcd (local government). It impounds the Tr-pecan Bayou near Brownwood.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 1,430 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 723 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 12/11/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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 | Brown |
| Nearest City | Brownwood |
| River/Stream | Tr-pecan Bayou |
| Coordinates | 31.79731, -98.92155 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,430 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 723 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 723 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 43 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,822 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Brown County;pecan Bayou Swcd |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 12/11/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX02782 |
| Federal ID | TX02782 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |