Plainwell Dam #1 is a gravity dam located in Allegan County, Michigan, built in 1902. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 21 ft21 ft tall and 1,185 ft long. 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 Plainwell Dam #1
The primary purpose of Plainwell Dam #1 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 Kalamazoo River.
The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 1,185 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 56 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,460 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,299 square miles. Completed in 1902, the structure is over a century 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/16/2004. That was over 22 years ago.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Allegan |
| River/Stream | Kalamazoo River |
| Coordinates | 42.45590, -85.66760 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,185 ft |
| Year Completed | 1902 (124 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,460 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,460 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 490 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 56 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,299 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,800 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Mdnr Wildlife |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 04/16/2004 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00491 |
| Federal ID | MI00491 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |