Rainbow Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Tama County, Iowa, built in 1952. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 30 ft30 ft tall and 450 ft long, taller than 68% 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 Rainbow Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Rainbow Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Gary Lamb (private). It impounds the Tr-iowa River near Chelsea.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 135 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1952, 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 07/29/1993. That was over 33 years ago.
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Location
| State | Iowa |
| County | Tama |
| Nearest City | Chelsea |
| River/Stream | Tr-iowa River |
| Coordinates | 41.89490, -92.42640 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 450 ft |
| Year Completed | 1952 (74 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 135 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 135 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 80 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Gary Lamb |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/29/1993 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | IA01969 |
| Federal ID | IA01969 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |