Canyon Gorge

The Canyon Lake Gorge is a beautiful and natural insight into the geology and hydrologic dynamics of glenrose limestone in Comal County near Canyon Lake. The Gorge was created, or "cut" when floodwaters escaped over the Spillway at Canyon Lake during the Flood Event of 2002.

• The Flood of 2002 was the first time that floodwaters flowed over the Emergency Spillway since the Reservoir was completed in 1964.
• The upper part of the Guadalupe River Watershed received more than 35 inches of rain in approximately one week. The runoff poured into the Guadalupe River and emptied into Canyon Reservoir, which was already above normal due to recent rains at the reservoir and because there was substantial flooding downstream.
• When the floodwater was at peak flow, it was moving at about 67,000 cfs*. Normal flow from the reservoir is 350 cfs.
• The amount of water that flowed over the Spillway was about 3 1/2 times the amount of water that the Reservoir holds.
• Water continued to flow over the Spillway for approximately 6 weeks.

Kevin and I got to go on a special tour of the newly formed gorge. It is not open to the public and much research is being conducted in this pristine setting.

-Julie