Cheney Dam
Cheney Dam is an earth dam located in Sedgwick County, Kansas, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Cheney Dam
The primary purpose of Cheney Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the North Fork Ninnescah near Cheney.
The dam stands 126 feet tall and stretches 24,458 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 28,000 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 566,275 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 991 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/26/2023.
At 126 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.
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 Kansas 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 | Kansas |
| County | Sedgwick |
| Nearest City | Cheney |
| River/Stream | North Fork Ninnescah |
| Coordinates | 37.72300, -97.80200 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 126 ft |
| Dam Height | 126 ft |
| Dam Length | 24,458 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 566,275 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 566,275 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 167,070 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 28,000 acres |
| Drainage Area | 991 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | BUREAU OF RECLAMATION |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 04/26/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KS00017 |
| Federal ID | KS00017 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |