Manistique Papers Dam is a concrete dam located in Schoolcraft County, Michigan, built in 1919. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 6,180 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 concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Manistique Papers Dam
The primary purpose of Manistique Papers Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Manistique Paper, Inc. (private). It impounds the Manistique River near Manistique.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 6,180 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 480 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 6,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,450 square miles. Completed in 1919, the structure is over a century old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/27/2016. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Michigan dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Schoolcraft |
| Nearest City | Manistique |
| River/Stream | Manistique River |
| Coordinates | 45.96667, -86.24667 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 6,180 ft |
| Year Completed | 1919 (107 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 6,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 6,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,800 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 480 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,450 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Manistique Paper, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 04/27/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00377 |
| Federal ID | MI00377 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |