Smallwood Dam
Smallwood Dam is an earth dam located in Gladwin County, Michigan, built in 1925. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Smallwood Dam
The primary purpose of Smallwood Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is local government-owned. It impounds the Tittabawassee River near Highwood.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 612 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 402 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 9,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 342 square miles. Completed in 1925, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/12/2021.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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.
Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Gladwin |
| Nearest City | Highwood |
| River/Stream | Tittabawassee River |
| Coordinates | 43.96167, -84.33333 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 612 ft |
| Year Completed | 1925 (101 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 9,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 9,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 6,500 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 402 acres |
| Drainage Area | 342 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 11/12/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00548 |
| Federal ID | MI00548 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |