Local History
Canyon Lake Was Finished in 1964 After Decades of Planning
Canyon Lake was created by a federal dam project to protect downstream communities from Guadalupe River floods.
Construction on Canyon Dam started in 1958. The lake began filling in June 1964. The dam is a rolled earthfill structure that stretches 6,830 feet across. It sits about 12 miles northwest of New Braunfels on the Guadalupe River.
Before the dam, floods on the Guadalupe caused repeated damage to farms and towns downstream. The lake was built primarily to reduce that flood risk. It now also supplies water and supports recreation. The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority holds rights to the conservation water stored in the lake.
Source to confirm: Handbook of Texas – Canyon Lake