Sweetbriar Creek Dam

About Sweetbriar Creek Dam

The primary purpose of Sweetbriar Creek Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Nd Game & Fish (state). It impounds the Sweetbriar Creek near Mandan.

The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 1,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 315 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 10,400 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 154 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/04/2022.

At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

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 North Dakota dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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