Mike Ortego Dam
Mike Ortego Dam is an earth dam located in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Mike Ortego Dam
The primary purpose of Mike Ortego Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Michael A. Habetz (private). It impounds the Oxbow Lake near Chopin.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 740 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 33 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 264 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 01/12/2022.
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Location
| State | Louisiana |
| County | Natchitoches |
| Nearest City | Chopin |
| River/Stream | Oxbow Lake |
| Coordinates | 31.53120, -92.86754 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Height | 8 ft |
| Dam Length | 740 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 264 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 264 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 165 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 33 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 415 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Michael A. Habetz |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 01/12/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | LA00456 |
| Federal ID | LA00456 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |