Little Wood River Dam

About Little Wood River Dam

The primary purpose of Little Wood River Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Little Wood River Irrigation District (public utility). It impounds the Little Wood River Malad River near Carey.

The dam stands 129 feet tall and stretches 3,100 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 590 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 33,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 273 square miles. Completed in 1939, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/24/2023.

At 129 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.

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 Idaho dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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