Allegan City Dam
Allegan City Dam is an earth dam located in Allegan County, Michigan, built in 1900. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Allegan City Dam
The primary purpose of Allegan City Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Allegan (local government). It impounds the Kalamazoo River near Allegan.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 135 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,100 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,523 square miles. Completed in 1900, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/18/2023.
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.
Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Allegan |
| Nearest City | Allegan |
| River/Stream | Kalamazoo River |
| Coordinates | 42.52500, -85.84667 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 450 ft |
| Year Completed | 1900 (126 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,100 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,100 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 800 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 135 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,523 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Allegan |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/18/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00489 |
| Federal ID | MI00489 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |