Medicine Creek Dam
Medicine Creek Dam is an earth dam located in Frontier County, Nebraska, built in 1949. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Medicine Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Medicine Creek 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 Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Medicine Creek near Cambridge.
The dam stands 165 feet tall and stretches 5,665 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5,793 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 193,020 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 880 square miles. Completed in 1949, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/03/2023.
At 165 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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 Nebraska 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 | Nebraska |
| County | Frontier |
| Nearest City | Cambridge |
| River/Stream | Medicine Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.37890, -100.21780 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 165 ft |
| Dam Height | 165 ft |
| Dam Length | 5,665 ft |
| Year Completed | 1949 (77 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 193,020 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 193,020 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 35,705 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5,793 acres |
| Drainage Area | 880 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 97,800 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | BUREAU OF RECLAMATION |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 05/03/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NE01073 |
| Federal ID | NE01073 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |