Thornton District Detention Basin is an earth dam located in Oakland County, Michigan, built in 1985. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 11 ft11 ft tall and 400 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 Thornton District Detention Basin
The primary purpose of Thornton District Detention Basin is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by City of Novi (local government). It impounds the Thornton Creek near Novi.
The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 83 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1985, the structure is 41 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. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 06/05/2018.
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Location
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Nearest City | Novi |
| River/Stream | Thornton Creek |
| Coordinates | 42.45558, -83.50717 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Length | 400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1985 (41 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 83 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 83 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 8 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 54 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | City of Novi |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 06/05/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MI02198 |
| Federal ID | MI02198 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |