Red Haw Dam

About Red Haw Dam

The primary purpose of Red Haw Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Iowa Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Tr-little Whitebreast Creek near Lake Ellis.

The dam stands 43 feet tall and stretches 785 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 93 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1934, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/15/2023.

At 43 feet, this dam is taller than 89% of dams nationwide.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Iowa dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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