Pisgah

Pisgah is a gravity dam located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, built in 1918. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Pisgah

The primary purpose of Pisgah is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Otter Tail Power Company (public utility). It impounds the Ottertail River near Unincorp / Fergus Falls.

The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 493 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 70 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 250 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,355 square miles. Completed in 1918, 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. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/22/2022.

At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.

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Low HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateMinnesota
CountyOtter Tail
Nearest CityUnincorp / Fergus Falls
River/StreamOttertail River
Coordinates46.27950, -96.10300

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeGravity
NID Height38 ft
Dam Height26 ft
Dam Length493 ft
Year Completed1918 (108 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage250 acre-ft
Max Storage250 acre-ft
Normal Storage200 acre-ft
Surface Area70 acres
Drainage Area1,355 sq mi
Max Discharge2,430 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeHydroelectric
OwnerOtter Tail Power Company
Owner TypePublic Utility
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection09/22/2022
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDMN00197
Federal IDMN00197
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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