Upper Constantine Dam is a gravity dam located in St. Joseph County, Michigan, built in 1903. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 13 ft13 ft tall and 300 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 Upper Constantine Dam
The primary purpose of Upper Constantine Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ox Engineered Products (private). It impounds the Fawn River near Constantine.
The dam stands 13 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 45 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 247 square miles. Completed in 1903, the structure is over a century old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/07/2018.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | St. Joseph |
| Nearest City | Constantine |
| River/Stream | Fawn River |
| Coordinates | 41.84077, -85.65132 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Height | 13 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1903 (123 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 404 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 45 acres |
| Drainage Area | 247 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Ox Engineered Products |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/07/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI00554 |
| Federal ID | MI00554 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |