Rainy River Dam is an earth dam located in Montmorency County, Michigan, built in 1960. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 11 ft11 ft tall and 296 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 Rainy River Dam
The primary purpose of Rainy River Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Mdnr Wildlife (state). It impounds the West Branch Upper Rainy River near Cheboygan.
The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 296 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 270 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,755 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 11 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 07/14/2016. That was over 10 years ago.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Montmorency |
| Nearest City | Cheboygan |
| River/Stream | West Branch Upper Rainy River |
| Coordinates | 45.19605, -84.07574 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Length | 296 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,755 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,755 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 810 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 270 acres |
| Drainage Area | 11 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 253 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Mdnr Wildlife |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/14/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00142 |
| Federal ID | MI00142 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |