Our Mission & Understanding Our Flood Control System

Learn more about how nine dams upstream of Lampasas protect tens of thousands of people and billions in property. The Lampasas County WCID #1 operates the network of floodwater retarding structures upstream of Lampasas that have prevented major flooding since their completion in 1961. Before these dams, Lampasas flooded repeatedly — sometimes catastrophically. They remain a vital safeguard for our community today.

but first… the history

The 1873 Flood

September 27, 1873 — when Lampasas had only 420 residents — the creeks overflowed after heavy overnight rain. Within 30 minutes, all of Lampasas had flooded. Six people drowned. Almost all businesses and homes were severely damaged or destroyed. “Dozens of families were left without a change of clothes, a pair of shoes, or a morsel of food.”

The 1936 Flood

On September 27, 1936, fire sirens sounded at 3:30 a.m. warning of high water. Water reached 5 feet in some areas. Most of the town’s businesses flooded within minutes. Though there were no fatalities, the property damage was devastating — made worse by the Great Depression. Many families had to be evacuated by boat.

The 1944 Flood

A flood in May 1944 — while the nation was focused on World War II — did enough damage to prompt the city to dredge Sulphur Creek and build the levees that still exist today.

The 1957 Mother's Day Flood

 

The worst flood in Lampasas history made national and international headlines. Rain began at 6:30 p.m. on Mother’s Day. By midnight, 8 inches had fallen. The Sulphur Creek levee ruptured. By morning:

  • 5 lives lost
  • 168 businesses with major damage
  • 430 families lost property
  • 50 homes completely destroyed
  • Damage equivalent to $72 million today
  • The 35th Engineering Group from Fort Hood hauled away 5,000 loads of debris
  • The Army delivered drinking water — Sulphur Creek, the city’s water supply, was contaminated

How Floodwater Retarding Structures Work

How Floodwater Retarding Structures Work

The nine structures operated by the WCID are called Floodwater Retarding Structures (FRS), sometimes called flood water prevention sites. They are not designed to hold water year-round. Instead, they are engineered to capture and slow the massive surge of water that occurs during a significant storm event.

Terms

  • Embankment — The earthen dam itself, carefully engineered for stability
  • Principal Spillway — Controls normal water release; activated first
  • Auxiliary Spillway — Emergency overflow; designed for extreme storm events
  • Flood Pool / Storage Basin — The area behind the dam that captures surge water
  • Plunge Basin — Dissipates the energy of water flowing through the spillway

How It Works In A Storm

Capture

Capture

During a major rain event, Sulphur Creek and its tributaries collect runoff from approximately 133 square miles of watershed west and northwest of Lampasas. Without the dams, all of that water funnels into the city simultaneously.

Release

Release

The nine dams capture and hold the surge, releasing it gradually so the creek can carry it safely through town — the difference between a manageable rain event and a disaster.

9 Floodwater Retarding Structures 

The nine dams — referred to as FRS 1 through FRS 9 — are located upstream of Lampasas on private property. The land remains in the names of private landowners; the WCID holds easement rights to operate and maintain the structures. Each original landowner accepted the proposed project at no charge to the WCID.

Unlike federal water projects managed by the Army Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation, NRCS Watershed Program dams are “federally assisted” — not federally owned. The Lampasas County WCID #1 owns and is responsible for these dams.

The WCID serves as the local sponsor for operations and maintenance, alongside the Hill Country Soil and Water Conservation District as co-sponsor. This means the WCID is responsible for:

  • Annual operation and maintenance inspections
  • Formal 5-year dam safety inspections (required by TCEQ and NRCS)
  • Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for significant and high-hazard dams
  • All maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of structures

Dams are classified by the potential damage if they were to fail — not by their current condition.

  • Low Hazard — No loss of life expected; minimal economic loss
  • Significant Hazard — Possible loss of 1–6 lives; appreciable economic loss
  • High Hazard — Loss of 7 or more lives expected; excessive economic loss

As Lampasas County grows, some dams may be reclassified upward as development occurs in the watershed area. Across Texas, approximately 20 dams per year are reclassified from Low to High hazard due to urban development.

 

The nine dams were built in the late 1950s and completed in 1961. As they age, they require increasing maintenance, and potentially repair or rehabilitation. The cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of upkeep.

Cost Realities:

  • Average maintenance cost: ~$2,000 per dam per year
  • Repairs: $50,000 to $2,000,000 depending on scope
  • Rehabilitation/upgrade to High Hazard criteria: $4 million to $20 million per structure

State Financial Assistance: The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) provides financial assistance to watershed sponsors:

Central Texas is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country. Population growth brings roads and rooftops — and both increase the volume and speed of stormwater runoff. This increased “impervious cover” can exceed the flood control capacity that the dams were originally designed to handle.

While the WCID has no legal authority to regulate land use outside its easement area, it actively advocates for compliance with the Lampasas County subdivision ordinance and works to educate the public and local officials about the relationship between development and flood risk.

Developers and property owners within the Sulphur Creek watershed are encouraged to understand the WCID’s flood pool easement areas. Resources are available at: https://www.tsswcb.texas.gov/programs/flood-control-program (under “Resources” → “Flood Control Easement Notification Area”)

Cash flow management is the process of tracking and optimizing the money coming in and going out of your business. It’s crucial because it ensures you have enough liquidity to cover expenses, pay employees, and invest in growth opportunities.

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