Moab City - White Canyon Retention
Moab City - White Canyon Retention is an earth dam located in Grand County, Utah, built in 1976. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Moab City - White Canyon Retention
The primary purpose of Moab City - White Canyon Retention 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 Moab City (local government). It impounds the White Canyon near Moab.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 220 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 8 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1976, the structure is 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. 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 04/13/2022.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% 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 Utah 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 | Utah |
| County | Grand |
| Nearest City | Moab |
| River/Stream | White Canyon |
| Coordinates | 38.57542, -109.53825 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 220 ft |
| Year Completed | 1976 (50 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 8 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 8 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 7 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | MOAB CITY |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/13/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | UT00553 |
| Federal ID | UT00553 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |