A teen drowned near a San Marcos River dam advocates have pushed for years to have removed

SAN MARCOS, Texas – A 17-year-old boy drowned while swimming near Cape's Dam on the San Marcos River, the city of San Marcos said. 

A city spokesperson said he was caught underwater near Thompson Island, a feature along the river. CPR was conducted on scene, and he was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, the city said. 

“We are just heartbroken over the news that we have lost a life in the San Marcos River,” said Dianne Wassenich, who retired from being the director of the San Marcos River Foundation several years ago. 

River advocates have for years encouraged the city to remove the Cape's Dam, saying it was a safety concern and negatively impacted the river's health. 

The San Marcos City Council voted to remove the dam in 2016 but shortly after reversed that decision, Wassenich said.

Wassenich said the dam was built in the 1800s.

“It was used for power,” she said. “There was a farm on the property surrounding it that was irrigated with water that was retained behind the dam and then pumped out.”

“It has been in disrepair for a long time,” she continued. 

Wassenich said while she was with the San Marcos River Foundation, studies were conducted on the dam which concluded the dam should be removed for safety and to better passage for fish in the river. 

“We believe that it is very sad that it has not been removed,” she said. “ I don't mean to point fingers at anybody. I just am so sad about it, and I wish that this dam were gone.”