Canyon Lake Dam dam
Canyon Lake Dam
Canyon Lake Dam, located in New Braunfels, Texas, is a critical infrastructure owned and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers for flood risk reduction along the Guadalupe River. Completed in 1964, the earth dam stands at 224 feet high and has a storage capacity of 1,208,350 acre-feet. While the dam has historically performed well during extreme flood events, a risk assessment conducted in 2020 identified the potential for significant downstream flooding in communities like New Braunfels and Seguin if the dam were to fail or be overtopped.
To mitigate the risks associated with the dam, the USACE Fort Worth District has implemented various measures, including working with local emergency managers to develop evacuation plans, updating the Emergency Action Plan, and conducting emergency exercises with response teams. The district also regularly inspects and monitors the dam, conducts maintenance and repairs as needed, and implements interim risk reduction measures such as stockpiling materials to prevent overtopping. Despite these efforts, the possibility of significant loss of life and economic damages remains in the event of a dam breach, underscoring the importance of ongoing risk management and preparedness efforts for the safety of downstream communities.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Canyon Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe Rv At Sattler | 71 cfs | → |
| Blanco Rv At Fischer Store Rd Nr Fischer | 9 cfs | → |
| Blanco Rv At Wimberley | 4 cfs | → |
| Guadalupe Rv Nr Spring Branch | 54 cfs | → |
| Comal Rv (Oc) Nr Landa Lk | 52 cfs | → |
| Comal Rv (Nc) Nr Landa Lk | 89 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Canyon Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Skyline Boat Ramp
- Turkey Cove. Canyon Lake.
- Jacob's Creek Park. Canyon Lake.
- Jacob's Creek Park. North Ramp. Canyon Lake.
- Canyon Park. Canyon Lake.
- Old Hancock Road. Canyon Lake.
Campgrounds
- North Park - Canyon Lake
- Canyon Lake Military - Randolph Afb
- Canyon - Canyon Lake
- Potters Creek - Canyon Lake
- Cranes Mill Park - Canyon Lake
- Camp Huaco Springs
Fishing spots
Track Canyon Lake Dam in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Canyon Lake Dam
Where does the data for Canyon Lake Dam come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Canyon Lake Dam.