Elk Creek Game Management Dam 1

About Elk Creek Game Management Dam 1

The primary purpose of Elk Creek Game Management Dam 1 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Iowa Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Elk Creek near Kensett.

The dam stands 17 feet tall and stretches 700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 176 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,097 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 17 square miles. Completed in 1961, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 07/09/2024.

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