Red Willow Dam
Red Willow Dam is an earth dam located in Frontier County, Nebraska, built in 1962. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Red Willow Dam
The primary purpose of Red Willow 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 Red Willow Creek near Indianola.
The dam stands 126 feet tall and stretches 3,159 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4,060 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 161,899 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 730 square miles. Completed in 1962, 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 05/02/2023.
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.
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 | Indianola |
| River/Stream | Red Willow Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.35750, -100.66720 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 126 ft |
| Dam Height | 126 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,159 ft |
| Year Completed | 1962 (64 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 161,899 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 161,899 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 37,776 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4,060 acres |
| Drainage Area | 730 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,910 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 | 05/02/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NE01076 |
| Federal ID | NE01076 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |