Jamestown Dam
Jamestown Dam is an earth dam located in Stutsman County, North Dakota, built in 1954. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Jamestown Dam
The primary purpose of Jamestown Dam 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 Bureau Of Reclamation (federal). It impounds the James River near Jamestown.
The dam stands 110 feet tall and stretches 1,418 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17,427 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 379,636 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,573 square miles. Completed in 1954, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/13/2023.
At 110 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The North Dakota dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Dakota |
| County | Stutsman |
| Nearest City | Jamestown |
| River/Stream | James River |
| Coordinates | 46.93100, -98.70870 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 110 ft |
| Dam Height | 81 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,418 ft |
| Year Completed | 1954 (72 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 379,636 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 379,636 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 35,535 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17,427 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,573 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,930 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | BUREAU OF RECLAMATION |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 09/13/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ND00151 |
| Federal ID | ND00151 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |