Rio Vista Dam is a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

on the

San Marcos River The San Marcos River rises from the San Marcos Springs, the location of Aquarena Springs, in San Marcos, Texas. The springs are home to several threatened or endangered species, including the Texas blind salamander, fountain darter, and Texas wi ...

San Marcos, Texas San Marcos ( ) is a city and the county seat of Hays County, Texas, United States. The city's limits extend into Caldwell and Guadalupe Counties, as well. San Marcos is within the Austin–Round Rock metropolitan area and on the Interstate 35 ...

. The flood of 1998 badly damaged the dam. Whitewater slalom in Rio Vista Park Bodyboarders in Rio Vista Park Following a US$2.1 million project, Recreation Engineering and Planning (REP) was commissioned to reconstruct the failing dam to enhance existing usage for recreational visitors and tourists alike while improving a stimulant of the local economy. REP was capable of providing a design which was tailored to the needs of the Rio Vista Dam which drastically reduced the reconstruction costs from $1.8 million to $500,000. The reconstruction efforts done by

KBR KBR can stand for: * KBR (company), formerly Kellogg, Brown & Root, US * KBR (news agency), an Indonesian radio news agency * KBR Park, Hyderabad, India * Kafa language, spoken in Ethiopia * Key-based routing in computer networking * Potassium brom ...

, included removing the failing concrete side walls, grading the banks down to the water, and the addition of artificial rapids. REP completed the project in just under four months when the park reopened on May 25, 2006.

Rio Vista Park

The Rio Vista Park is a park located on the dam, which serves as a local hotspot for swimming, tubing,

canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...

, and

kayaking Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits fac ...

Notes

Dams in Texas San Marcos, Texas Buildings and structures in San Marcos, Texas United States local public utility dams Dams completed in 1904 1904 establishments in Texas {{US-dam-stub