Wildwood Lake Dam

Wildwood Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Oakland County, Michigan, built in 1961. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Wildwood Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Wildwood Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Mdnr Parks & Recreation (state). It impounds the Thread Creek near Grand Blanc.

The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 243 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 84 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 775 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1961, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 10/17/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

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
CountyOakland
Nearest CityGrand Blanc
River/StreamThread Creek
Coordinates42.80806, -83.51778

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height22 ft
Dam Height22 ft
Dam Length243 ft
Year Completed1961 (65 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage775 acre-ft
Max Storage775 acre-ft
Normal Storage221 acre-ft
Surface Area84 acres
Drainage Area2 sq mi
Max Discharge57 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerMDNR Parks & Recreation
Owner TypeState
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection10/17/2018
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDMI00276
Federal IDMI00276
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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