Merritt Dam

About Merritt Dam

The primary purpose of Merritt Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the Snake River near Snake River Falls.

The dam stands 126 feet tall and stretches 3,222 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,222 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 78,375 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 485 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/26/2023.

At 126 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 Nebraska dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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