Boys Town Dam 1

About Boys Town Dam 1

The primary purpose of Boys Town Dam 1 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Boys Town (local government). It impounds the Hell Creek near Omaha.

The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 1,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 25 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 243 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1947, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/03/2024.

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

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