Dawson Dam is an earth dam located in Des Moines County, Iowa, built in 1972. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 272 ft long, taller than 86% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 Dawson Dam
The primary purpose of Dawson Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Orville L Dawson (private). It impounds the Tr-dry Branch near Mississippi River.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 272 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 56 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1972, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Iowa |
| County | Des Moines |
| Nearest City | Mississippi River |
| River/Stream | Tr-dry Branch |
| Coordinates | 40.87770, -91.09230 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 272 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 56 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 56 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 39 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond |
| Owner | Orville L Dawson |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IA00361 |
| Federal ID | IA00361 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |