Bayou Desiard Midway is an earth dam located in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, built in 1973. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 12 ft12 ft tall and 375 ft long. 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 Desiard Midway
The primary purpose of Bayou Desiard Midway 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 City of Monroe Louisiana (local government). It impounds the Bayou Desiard near Monroe.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 375 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 590 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,900 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 19 square miles. Completed in 1973, 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 02/14/2025.
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Location
| State | Louisiana |
| County | Ouachita |
| Nearest City | Monroe |
| River/Stream | Bayou Desiard |
| Coordinates | 32.53829, -92.02882 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 375 ft |
| Year Completed | 1973 (53 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,900 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,900 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,950 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 590 acres |
| Drainage Area | 19 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 435 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Monroe Louisiana |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 02/14/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | LA00880 |
| Federal ID | LA00880 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |