Pine Creek Dam

Pine Creek Dam is an earth dam located in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, built in 1969. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Pine Creek Dam

The primary purpose of Pine 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 Usace - Tulsa District (federal). It impounds the Little River near Garvin.

The dam stands 124 feet tall and stretches 22,470 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,750 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 968,210 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 635 square miles. Completed in 1969, 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 11/12/2024.

At 124 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 Oklahoma 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.

High HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateOklahoma
CountyMcCurtain
Nearest CityGarvin
River/StreamLittle River
Coordinates34.11214, -95.08020

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height124 ft
Dam Height124 ft
Dam Length22,470 ft
Year Completed1969 (57 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage968,210 acre-ft
Max Storage968,210 acre-ft
Normal Storage53,750 acre-ft
Surface Area3,750 acres
Drainage Area635 sq mi
Max Discharge246,600 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerUSACE - Tulsa District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection11/12/2024
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDOK10306
Federal IDOK10306
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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