Texas’ Watershed Dams Saved Estimated $40M in Flood Damage Costs

While May’s rains brought much needed drought relief across Texas, the torrential downpours in many instances washed out roads and bridges, stranded motorists and took the lives of a reported 27 Texans.

A significant amount of flood damage didn’t occur, however, thanks to 2,041 watershed dams across the state that quietly functioned as they were designed to do, according to the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.

In the 1950s, the USDA-NRCS worked with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and other sponsors through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to construct these watershed dams, or flood control structures, in an effort to protect homes and property during flooding events.

“The more than 2,000 dam sites across the state that were affected by the rainfall provided at least $40 million in estimated damage reduction benefits from storms throughout the month of May,” says NRCS Landscape Conservation and Planning Leader Lori Ziehr. “Savings include road and bridge damage reduction, reduced loss of crops and livestock and damages to homes.”

Watershed dams often appear to be very large stock ponds or fishing and recreation sites, but in a heavy rainfall event their specific design and function is critical. They capture raging floodwaters and hold it, releasing it slowly downstream. Slowing the water’s velocity greatly reduces flood damage.

“These structures continue to reduce the impacts of flooding, and they are complimented by conservation practices within the watershed that reduce erosion and improve water quality,” said John Mueller, NRCS State Conservation Engineer.