Sulphur Springs Draw Dam

About Sulphur Springs Draw Dam

The primary purpose of Sulphur Springs Draw Dam is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Colorado River Municipal Water District (local government). It impounds the Sulphur Springs Draw near Big Spring.

The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 4,787 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 970 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 20,692 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 258 square miles. Completed in 1993, the structure is 33 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 03/12/2024.

At 33 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.