South Branch Wild Rice Upper is an earth dam located in Becker County, Minnesota, built in 1981. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 34 ft34 ft tall and 4,700 ft long, taller than 78% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 South Branch Wild Rice Upper
The primary purpose of South Branch Wild Rice Upper 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 Wd of Wild Rice (local government). It impounds the Wild Rice River S Branch near Ogema.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 4,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,084 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 13,380 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 43 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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 03/23/2012. That was over 14 years ago.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 78% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Becker |
| Nearest City | Ogema |
| River/Stream | Wild Rice River S Branch |
| Coordinates | 47.06482, -96.03780 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 4,700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1981 (45 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 13,380 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 13,380 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,084 acres |
| Drainage Area | 43 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Wd of Wild Rice |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/23/2012 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MN00912 |
| Federal ID | MN00912 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |