Senator Young Dam
Senator Young Dam is an earth dam located in Cavalier County, North Dakota, built in 1961. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Senator Young Dam
The primary purpose of Senator Young Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Pembina County Wrb (local government). It impounds the Tongue River near Concrete.
The dam stands 96 feet tall and stretches 1,529 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 38 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,971 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 53 square miles. Completed in 1961, 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 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 11/03/2022.
At 96 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Dakota |
| County | Cavalier |
| Nearest City | Concrete |
| River/Stream | Tongue River |
| Coordinates | 48.75204, -98.01825 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 96 ft |
| Dam Height | 85 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,529 ft |
| Year Completed | 1961 (65 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,971 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,971 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 447 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 38 acres |
| Drainage Area | 53 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Pembina County WRB |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/03/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ND00055 |
| Federal ID | ND00055 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |