Custer West
Custer West is an earth dam located in Custer County, South Dakota, built in 1943. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Custer West
The primary purpose of Custer West is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Custer (local government). It impounds the French Creek near Custer.
The dam stands 13 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 123 acre-feet. Completed in 1943, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/09/2023.
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 South Dakota 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 | South Dakota |
| County | Custer |
| Nearest City | Custer |
| River/Stream | French Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.75967, -103.62151 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1943 (83 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 123 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Custer |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/09/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD02616 |
| Federal ID | SD02616 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |