Lower Dam is an earth dam located in Houghton County, Michigan, built in 1965. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 23 ft23 ft tall and 160 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 Lower Dam
The primary purpose of Lower Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Usda Forest Service (federal). It impounds the E Br Ontonagon River near Kenton.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 160 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 180 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 16 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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 07/10/2007. That was over 19 years ago.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Houghton |
| Nearest City | Kenton |
| River/Stream | E Br Ontonagon River |
| Coordinates | 46.45500, -88.78333 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 160 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 180 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 180 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 120 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 16 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,120 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Usda Forest Service |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/10/2007 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00078 |
| Federal ID | MI00078 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |