At the March 18 City Council meeting, members voted unanimously to move forward with a preliminary feasibility study for Cape’s Dam. This decision marks the latest chapter in over a decade of discussions about the dam’s future.
The overview
According to city documents, following an interlocal agreement-memorandum of understanding, or ILA-MOU, between San Marcos and Hays County, the city approved a contract with Freese & Nichols Inc. to perform a preliminary feasibility study to:
- Evaluate the current conditions of Cape’s Dam and relevant adjacent features.
- Explore conceptual alternatives, including repair, partial removal, or full-removal of the dam, and gather cost, feasibility and stakeholder input.
- Identify potential regulatory or environmental pathways and constraints.
- Conduct public and stakeholder engagement to guide decision-making on a preferred approach.
Future phases of the project, which involve detailed geotechnical investigations, final design, bidding support, and construction administration, are not included in this contract and would be considered additional services if authorized later, according to the agenda.
The proposed contract with Freese & Nichols Inc. is for an amount not to exceed $340,000, according to agenda items. The funding will come from the city’s capital improvement projects budget, which could instead be allocated to a stormwater project if preferred, as noted by Jamie Lee Case, director of parks and recreation.
Hays County Commissioners Court has only discussed the rehabilitation of the dam under the ILA-MOU and has not yet considered removal, according to Case.
The ownership of the dam is complicated, with the San Marcos River Foundation owning part of the dam bank—and possibly part of the dam itself—while the city of San Marcos owns the remainder, according to the city attorney Samuel Aguirre. The council voiced the need for a land survey.
The San Marcos River Foundation has only expressed support for the removal of the dam, according to the City Council. Case said she’s already working on addressing immediate safety concerns.
Results of the feasibility study will be ready in 10 months, according to Case.
What they’re saying
City staff said the feasibility study is necessary for any outcome, whether it be rehabilitation or removal. The majority of the item’s discussion centered around the potential future of Cape’s Dam.
Council member Shane Scott expressed support for rehabilitation, emphasizing the need for more recreational opportunities on the east side of San Marcos. He suggested the dam could be further developed.
“I want to [rehabilitate] it because [the] east side has absolutely nothing on that side for the people over there,” Scott said. “I’d like to see something built like Rio Vista over there for the community.”
Council member Amanda Rodriguez supported leaving the dam in its natural state.
“That doesn’t mean I’m not interested in obviously creating recreational opportunities for people on the east side,” Rodriguez said.
Council member Saul Gonzales favored removing the dam, citing safety concerns and stating he would not want to risk an accident. In response, council member Lorenzo Gonzales argued that any action—including rehabilitation—would improve safety.
“Not to be blunt, but we’ve already wasted four years—can we not waste any more time as well?” Lorenzo Gonzales said.
The council also discussed the possibility of conducting surveys and enhancing communication efforts to gather more input from residents regarding Cape’s Dam.
The history
The history of Cape’s Dam spans several generations.
In 1850, William A. Thompson and his family, along with slaves, moved to Texas from Louisiana, according to a historical marker titled “Thompson’s Islands” that is near Cape’s Dam. They established plantations in Caldwell and Hays County, using slave labor.
The historical marker continues and states that the family went on to build a mill on the San Marcos River, which ultimately led to the creation of three land masses in the river channel—known as Thompson’s Islands, according to the historical marker.
The land remained in the Thompson family for generations, and the mill, which powered local lumber operations and a cotton gin, played a significant role in the area’s economy. The water mill remained a vital economic element until 1942, as noted in the Blanco Gardens Area Plan, which includes the mill's location.
Cape’s Dam has been a topic of discussion at City Council for over a decade. The conversation began when the council approved Planned Development District zoning for "The Woodlands of San Marcos"—student apartments which became The Woods and are now known as Redpoint—on Jan. 15, 2013.
As part of the approval, the city received 20 acres of dedicated parkland along the San Marcos River, which includes Cape’s Dam and the mill race. A mill race, according to Merriam-Webster, is a canal that directs water to and from a mill wheel. A water mill uses a mill wheel to generate hydropower.
According to agenda documents, the timeline of Cape’s Dam discussions by the city is as follows:
