Friberg (taplin Gorge)

Friberg (taplin Gorge) is a gravity dam located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, built in 1925. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Friberg (taplin Gorge)

The primary purpose of Friberg (taplin Gorge) 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 Otter Tail Power Company (public utility). It impounds the Ottertail River near Fergus Falls.

The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 340 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 350 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,230 square miles. Completed in 1925, the structure is over a century 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 09/21/2022.

At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.

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Low HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateMinnesota
CountyOtter Tail
Nearest CityFergus Falls
River/StreamOttertail River
Coordinates46.38300, -96.01790

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeGravity
NID Height38 ft
Dam Height31 ft
Dam Length340 ft
Year Completed1925 (101 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage5,000 acre-ft
Max Storage5,000 acre-ft
Normal Storage3,500 acre-ft
Surface Area350 acres
Drainage Area1,230 sq mi
Max Discharge7,200 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeHydroelectric
OwnerOtter Tail Power Company
Owner TypePublic Utility
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection09/21/2022
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDMN00199
Federal IDMN00199
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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