Comanche Dam

About Comanche Dam

The primary purpose of Comanche Dam is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Us Fish And Wildlife Service (federal). It impounds the Deer Creek near Cache, Oklahoma.

The dam stands 58 feet tall and stretches 219 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 618 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1934, 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. 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 06/15/2015. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

At 58 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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.