Prior to a recent conduit video inspection, the District’s contractor needed to lower the water level at Dam 3. The District then discovered that an unauthorized manipulation to the intake structure kept the lake levels artificially higher than designed. At the time, the lake level was approximately four feet higher than designed permanent pool. This reduced the lake’s capacity to manage flooding and protect public safety.
The District does not know who or when someone illegally manipulated the structure, but it appears to be several years ago. The previous internal video inspection noted in 2018 that water was flowing through the ports as intended. The lake is now at the proper permanent pool level, which is approximately four feet lower than recent observations. The District restored the lake’s designed flood capacity and its capacity to protect public safety by minimizing downstream flooding.
We are coordinating with the City of Leander regarding potential remedies for park impacts due to the assumed lake levels. The District’s flood gauging intended for monitoring high levels and flooding will be adjusted to monitor lower lake levels in the future to more easily diagnose if similar activity takes place in the future.
Upper Brushy Creek WCID: Dam Operations, Safety & Flood Control
The Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District (WCID) owns and operates over 20 dams across western Williamson County. Originally constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, these dams were designed primarily for regional flood control.
How the Dams Work Many of the dams include a permanent pool of water, which rises and falls naturally based on rainfall. Unlike reservoirs with floodgates, these dams passively release water over time after heavy rains. Heavier rainstorms release large quantities of water through the auxiliary spillway which would engage more frequently if the flood storage capacity was diminished.
Routine Inspections and Repairs The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires dam safety inspections approximately every five years. These inspections often necessitate lowering the water level to allow access to the intake, outlet, and other dam components.
Ensuring that dams retain their flood storage capacity is critical—especially as Central Texas continues to urbanize. The shift from rural farmland to urban development has increased impervious surfaces, making effective regional flood control more important than ever.
Understanding “Lakes” and Dams in Texas Many local communities have affectionately named the District’s dams after lakes—Lake Lakewood, Devine Lake, Meadow Lake, Hutto Lake, and others. It’s worth noting that most lakes in Texas are man-made, either primarily for water supply or flood control. The only natural major lake in Texas is Caddo Lake, located near the Louisiana border.
Summary Maintaining and inspecting these dams is essential for the safety and well-being of residents in Williamson County. As weather events become more intense and development continues, the District’s efforts to preserve flood storage capacity remain a vital part of regional resilience.