Crystal Valley Dam is an earth dam located in Oceana County, Michigan, built in 1937. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 16 ft16 ft tall and 615 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 Crystal Valley Dam
The primary purpose of Crystal Valley Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Oceana County (local government). It impounds the Crystal Creek near Pentwater.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 615 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 570 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 6 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 08/15/2016. That was over 10 years ago.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oceana |
| Nearest City | Pentwater |
| River/Stream | Crystal Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.77833, -86.25000 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 615 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 570 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 570 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 450 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 6 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 440 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Oceana County |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/15/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00279 |
| Federal ID | MI00279 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |