Kelley Creek West Dam
Kelley Creek West Dam is an earth dam located in Red Willow County, Nebraska, built in 1979. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Kelley Creek West Dam
The primary purpose of Kelley Creek West 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 Middle Republican Natural Resources District (local government). It impounds the Tr-republican River near Mccook.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 732 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,183 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1979, the structure is 47 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/01/2024.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.
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 | Red Willow |
| Nearest City | Mccook |
| River/Stream | Tr-republican River |
| Coordinates | 40.22052, -100.63125 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 732 ft |
| Year Completed | 1979 (47 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,183 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,183 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 9 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 11,521 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Middle Republican Natural Resources District |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/01/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NE01672 |
| Federal ID | NE01672 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |