Big Coulee Dam
Big Coulee Dam is an earth dam located in Towner County, North Dakota, built in 1968. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
About Big Coulee Dam
The primary purpose of Big Coulee Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Bisbee (local government). It impounds the Big Coulee near N.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 1,170 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 240 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 5,103 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 108 square miles. Completed in 1968, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/08/2018.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Dakota |
| County | Towner |
| Nearest City | N |
| River/Stream | Big Coulee |
| Coordinates | 48.63335, -99.36510 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,170 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 5,103 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 5,103 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,222 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 240 acres |
| Drainage Area | 108 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Bisbee |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 05/08/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ND00015 |
| Federal ID | ND00015 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |