Priest Lake Level Control Structure

Priest Lake Level Control Structure is an earth dam located in Cass County, Michigan, built in 1974. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Priest Lake Level Control Structure

The primary purpose of Priest Lake Level Control Structure is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Cass County Drain Commissioner (private). It impounds the Priest Lake Outlet near Niles.

The dam stands 8 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 37 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 240 acre-feet. Completed in 1974, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 11/16/2017.

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Low HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateMichigan
CountyCass
Nearest CityNiles
River/StreamPriest Lake Outlet
Coordinates42.03466, -86.13224

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height8 ft
Dam Height8 ft
Dam Length500 ft
Year Completed1974 (52 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage240 acre-ft
Max Storage240 acre-ft
Normal Storage70 acre-ft
Surface Area37 acres
Max Discharge160 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerCass County Drain Commissioner
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection11/16/2017
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMI00770
Federal IDMI00770
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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