Big Hill Dam

About Big Hill Dam

The primary purpose of Big Hill 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 Usace - Tulsa District (federal). It impounds the Big Hill Ck near Cherryvale.

The dam stands 83 feet tall and stretches 3,902 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,192 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 39,540 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 37 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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 06/25/2025.

At 83 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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.

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