Varvil Dam is an earth dam located in Marquette County, Michigan, built in 1966. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 20 ft20 ft tall and 160 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 Varvil Dam
The primary purpose of Varvil Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dana Varvil (private). It impounds the Sawmill Creek.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 160 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 75 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1966, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 01/01/1901. That was over 125 years ago.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Marquette |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Sawmill Creek |
| Coordinates | 46.70000, -87.59167 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 160 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 75 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 75 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 20 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 186 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Dana Varvil |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 01/01/1901 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI01537 |
| Federal ID | MI01537 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |