Olmos Dam dam
Olmos Dam
Olmos Dam, located in San Antonio, Texas, along Olmos Creek, was completed in 1926 by design firm Freese & Nichols. This gravity dam stands at a height of 58 feet and serves primarily for flood risk reduction purposes. With a storage capacity of 21,970 acre-feet and a drainage area of 32.4 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water flow and protecting the surrounding areas from potential flooding events.
The dam underwent structural modifications in 2012 to ensure its continued effectiveness and safety. Despite its age, Olmos Dam maintains a satisfactory condition assessment as of April 2021, and regular inspections occur every five years. The dam features a controlled spillway, outlet gates, and a very high risk assessment rating, emphasizing the importance of its proper maintenance and management to safeguard the community and water resources. Olmos Dam stands as a testament to engineering ingenuity and serves as a vital component of the water infrastructure in the region.
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 Olmos Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Olmos Ck At Dresden Dr | 1 cfs | → |
| Salado Ck At Loop 410 At San Antonio | · | → |
| San Antonio Rv At San Antonio | 31 cfs | → |
| San Pedro Ck At Furnish St | 22 cfs | → |
| San Antonio Rv At Mitchell St | 20 cfs | → |
| Salado Ck At Blanco Rd. San Antonio | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Olmos Dam.
Boat launches
- Woodlawn Lake Trail San Antonio
- Calaveras Park; Calaveras Lake.
- Ih 37 Bridge. San Antonio River Access.
- Paradise Canyon. Medina River Access.
- Nichols Landing. Guadalupe River Access
- Rebecca Creek. Canyon Lake.
Campgrounds
- Lackland Afb Military
- Calaveras Lake Park Dispersed
- Braunig Lake Park
- Castroville Regional Park
- Camp Huaco Springs
- Cranes Mill Park - Canyon Lake
Fishing spots
Track Olmos 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 Olmos Dam
Where does the data for Olmos 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 Not Available 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 Olmos Dam.