Desoto Pond Dam is an earth dam located in DeSoto County, Florida, built in 1969. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 13 ft13 ft tall and 5,800 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Desoto Pond Dam
The primary purpose of Desoto Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Tiitf/state of Florida (state). It impounds the Peace River near Peace River Heights.
The dam stands 13 feet tall and stretches 5,800 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 228 acre-feet. 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 Florida 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 | Florida |
| County | DeSoto |
| Nearest City | Peace River Heights |
| River/Stream | Peace River |
| Coordinates | 27.06000, -82.00000 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Length | 5,800 ft |
| Year Completed | 1969 (57 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 228 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 228 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 152 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Max Discharge | 85 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Tiitf/state of Florida |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | FL00439 |
| Federal ID | FL00439 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |