Cow Bayou Ws Scs Site 29 Dam
Cow Bayou Ws Scs Site 29 Dam is an earth dam located in McLennan County, Texas, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Cow Bayou Ws Scs Site 29 Dam
The primary purpose of Cow Bayou Ws Scs Site 29 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 Mclennan County;mclennan County Swcd (local government). It impounds the Tr-north Cow Bayou.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 5,520 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 27 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/17/2023.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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 | McLennan |
| River/Stream | Tr-north Cow Bayou |
| Coordinates | 31.34822, -97.18507 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 5,520 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,300 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,300 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 134 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 27 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,458 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | MCLENNAN COUNTY;MCLENNAN COUNTY SWCD |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/17/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TX04090 |
| Federal ID | TX04090 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |