Bayou Bonne Idee Upper Dam is an earth dam located in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, built in 1955. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 416 ft long, taller than 50% 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 Bayou Bonne Idee Upper Dam
The primary purpose of Bayou Bonne Idee Upper Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Bayou Bonne Idee Gravity Drainage District (local government). It impounds the Bayou Bonne Idee near Mer Rouge.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 416 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 470 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 6,100 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 29 square miles. Completed in 1955, 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. 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 09/13/2023.
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Location
| State | Louisiana |
| County | Morehouse |
| Nearest City | Mer Rouge |
| River/Stream | Bayou Bonne Idee |
| Coordinates | 32.74976, -91.72724 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 416 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 22,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 6,100 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 22,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 470 acres |
| Drainage Area | 29 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,400 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Bayou Bonne Idee Gravity Drainage District |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/13/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | LA00700 |
| Federal ID | LA00700 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |