Buffalo Lake Dam

Buffalo Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Pierce County, North Dakota, built in 1930. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Buffalo Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Buffalo Lake Dam is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Us Fish And Wildlife Service (federal). It impounds the Buffalo Coulee.

The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 4,250 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 990 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 11,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 384 square miles. Completed in 1930, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 10/01/2020.

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Low HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateNorth Dakota
CountyPierce
River/StreamBuffalo Coulee
Coordinates47.99966, -99.82742

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height12 ft
Dam Height9 ft
Dam Length4,250 ft
Year Completed1930 (96 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage11,200 acre-ft
Max Storage11,200 acre-ft
Normal Storage5,200 acre-ft
Surface Area990 acres
Drainage Area384 sq mi
Max Discharge1,028 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFish and Wildlife Pond
OwnerUS FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection10/01/2020
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDND00347
Federal IDND00347
More InfoState Dam Safety Program