East Elkhorn Creek Dam is an earth dam located in Ellsworth County, Kansas, built in 1954. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 32 ft32 ft tall and 770 ft long, taller than 74% 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 East Elkhorn Creek Dam
East Elkhorn Creek Dam is a dam in Ellsworth, Kansas. The dam is owned by Kansas Dept of Transportation (state). It impounds the East Elkhorn Creek-tr near Shady Bend.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 770 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 267 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1954, 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. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/18/2023.
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 | Ellsworth |
| Nearest City | Shady Bend |
| River/Stream | East Elkhorn Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 38.86643, -98.08719 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 770 ft |
| Year Completed | 1954 (72 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 267 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 267 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 6 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Kansas Dept of Transportation |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 04/18/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KS03600 |
| Federal ID | KS03600 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |