Map of All 7,402 Texas Dams
Texas has more dams than any other US state — 7,402 in the National Inventory of Dams, compared to about 1,500 in California. 1,607 are classified as high hazard, meaning failure would likely cause loss of life. And 182 Texas dams are both high hazard and in poor or unsatisfactory condition.
Use the interactive Texas dams map below to explore every dam in the state, color-coded by hazard level. Click any dam for its condition assessment, last inspection date, and Emergency Action Plan status. Or view the full US Dams interactive map to compare Texas to every other state.
Hazard
Condition
Purpose
Texas Dams by the Numbers
- 7,402 total dams in Texas — the most of any US state
- 1,607 high hazard — failure would likely cause loss of life
- 558 significant hazard
- 5,237 low hazard
- 257 in poor or unsatisfactory condition (145 poor, 112 unsatisfactory)
- 182 Texas dams are both high-hazard AND in poor/unsatisfactory condition
Data source: US Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (NID).
The 15 Tallest Dams in Texas
Unlike the big-height dams of the West, Texas’s tallest structures are predominantly flood-risk-reduction and water-supply dams on the state’s major rivers. All are classified as high hazard.
| Dam | Height | Year | Primary Purpose | Condition | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amistad | 287 ft | 1969 | Flood Risk Reduction | Poor | Val Verde |
| Mansfield | 278 ft | 1942 | Flood Risk Reduction | Satisfactory | Travis |
| Sanford | 228 ft | 1965 | Recreation | Not Available | Hutchinson |
| Canyon Lake (Dike A) | 224 ft | 1964 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Comal |
| Canyon Lake | 224 ft | 1964 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Comal |
| Stillhouse Hollow | 200 ft | 1968 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Bell |
| Belton | 192 ft | 1954 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Bell |
| Morris Sheppard | 189 ft | 1941 | Irrigation | Fair | Palo Pinto |
| Mackenzie | 180 ft | 1974 | Water Supply | Not Rated | Briscoe |
| Falcon | 175 ft | 1953 | Flood Risk Reduction | Fair | Starr |
| Whitney | 166 ft | 1951 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Hill |
| Medina Lake | 165 ft | 1913 | Irrigation | Not Rated | Medina |
| North San Gabriel | 162 ft | 1980 | Flood Risk Reduction | Not Available | Williamson |
| Squaw Creek | 159 ft | 1977 | Recreation | Not Rated | Somervell |
| Simon Freese | 149 ft | 1989 | Water Supply | Satisfactory | Coleman |
Why Texas Has So Many Dams
Texas’s #1 ranking comes down to four factors:
- Flood control — the state is prone to both flash flooding and hurricane rainfall, leading to decades of federal flood-control dam construction along the Trinity, Brazos, Colorado, and Red rivers
- Water supply — Texas has few natural lakes, so reservoirs behind dams supply nearly all surface water for cities including Houston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio
- Agricultural and stock-watering dams — tens of thousands of small earthen dams on ranches and farms; most low-hazard but all counted in the NID
- Border infrastructure — joint US–Mexico dams like Amistad and Falcon on the Rio Grande
High-Hazard Texas Dams in Poor Condition
The most concerning Texas dams are those classified as high hazard that also carry a Poor or Unsatisfactory condition rating — 182 dams in total. Notable examples include:
- Amistad Dam (287 ft, Val Verde County) — Flood Risk Reduction, Poor condition. The second-tallest dam in Texas, jointly operated with Mexico.
Use the interactive map and filter by hazard level and condition to see every one of the 182 high-risk Texas dams on a single map.
Dam Safety in Texas
Dam safety in Texas is overseen by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Dam Safety Program for state-jurisdictional dams. Federal dams are operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (Fort Worth, Galveston, and Albuquerque Districts cover Texas) and the Bureau of Reclamation. FERC regulates licensed hydropower dams.
Texas uses a 3-tier hazard classification (High, Significant, Low) that matches the federal NID system, and requires Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for all state-jurisdictional high-hazard dams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas have more dams than any other state?
Yes. Texas has 7,402 dams in the National Inventory of Dams — more than any other US state. Kansas (6,477) and Mississippi (6,092) are second and third.
What is the tallest dam in Texas?
Amistad Dam on the Rio Grande at 287 feet, completed 1969. It is jointly owned and operated by the United States and Mexico. Mansfield Dam on the Colorado River (278 ft) is the tallest wholly-US Texas dam.
How many Texas dams are in poor condition?
257 Texas dams are currently rated as being in Poor or Unsatisfactory condition (145 Poor + 112 Unsatisfactory). 182 of them are also classified as high-hazard.
Who regulates dam safety in Texas?
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) runs the state Dam Safety Program. Federal dams fall under the US Army Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation, and licensed hydropower dams under FERC.
