Dam Failure and Reconstruction in the Guadalupe Valley Lakes Region of Central Texas

Along a segment of the Guadalupe River in Central Texas, multiple historic dams owned and operated by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority have failed. These dams create small lakes along which a string of communities have deeply embedded their lives. In this paper, we present a case study investigating the failure of the Lake Dunlap Dam and the subsequent responses at the community, regulatory, and state levels. The results highlight the social challenges of managing dam infrastructure and how the Lake Dunlap community navigated emotions, regulatory restrictions, and financial reality to create a solution that other communities along the river adopted. This case study also revealed that multiple communities facing similar issues posed by aging dam infrastructure will need alternative, less costly solutions. Future studies ought to consider the feasibility of reconstruction for aging dams across the state as well as the potential for alternatives. The case of the Guadalupe Valley Lake region dam failures and aftermath can inform policy and management regarding Texas’s vast and aging dam infrastructure.