Wells Dam is an earth dam located in Lucas County, Iowa, built in 1960. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 560 ft long, taller than 50% 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 Wells Dam
The primary purpose of Wells 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 Jerry Wells (private). It impounds the Tr-chariton River near Rathbun Reservoir.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 560 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 100 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 09/24/1963. That was over 63 years ago.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Iowa |
| County | Lucas |
| Nearest City | Rathbun Reservoir |
| River/Stream | Tr-chariton River |
| Coordinates | 40.96920, -93.32910 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 560 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 100 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 100 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 56 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond |
| Owner | Jerry Wells |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 09/24/1963 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IA00601 |
| Federal ID | IA00601 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |