Tourist Park (marquette Dam 3)

Tourist Park (marquette Dam 3) is a concrete dam located in Marquette County, Michigan, built in 1924. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Tourist Park (marquette Dam 3)

The primary purpose of Tourist Park (marquette Dam 3) is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Marquette, City Of (local government). It impounds the Dead River near Marquette.

The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 110 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 600 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 159 square miles. Completed in 1924, the structure is over a century old.

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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/28/2022.

At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% 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 Michigan dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

High HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateMichigan
CountyMarquette
Nearest CityMarquette
River/StreamDead River
Coordinates46.58830, -87.41170

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height34 ft
Dam Height34 ft
Dam Length800 ft
Year Completed1924 (102 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage600 acre-ft
Max Storage600 acre-ft
Normal Storage600 acre-ft
Surface Area110 acres
Drainage Area159 sq mi
Max Discharge5,400 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeHydroelectric
OwnerMarquette, City of
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection09/28/2022
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDMI00182
Federal IDMI00182
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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