Lake Zahl Dam is an earth dam located in Williams County, North Dakota, built in 1937. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 9 ft9 ft tall and 900 ft long. 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 Lake Zahl Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Zahl 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 USFWS (federal). It impounds the Pats Coulee near Williston.
The dam stands 9 feet tall and stretches 900 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,300 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 9,720 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 52 square miles. Completed in 1937, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 06/23/1988. That was over 38 years ago.
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Location
| State | North Dakota |
| County | Williams |
| Nearest City | Williston |
| River/Stream | Pats Coulee |
| Coordinates | 48.54857, -103.68105 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Height | 9 ft |
| Dam Length | 900 ft |
| Year Completed | 1937 (89 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 9,720 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 9,720 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,003 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,300 acres |
| Drainage Area | 52 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | USFWS |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 06/23/1988 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ND00348 |
| Federal ID | ND00348 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |