Spirit Lake Bia 4 North
Spirit Lake Bia 4 North is an earth dam located in Benson County, North Dakota, built in 1987. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Spirit Lake Bia 4 North
The primary purpose of Spirit Lake Bia 4 North 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 Bia (federal). It impounds the Sheyenne River -tr near St. Michael.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 8,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 140,000 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,170,994 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3,322 square miles. Completed in 1987, the structure is 39 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. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/27/2024.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.
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 | Benson |
| Nearest City | St. Michael |
| River/Stream | Sheyenne River -tr |
| Coordinates | 48.00680, -98.87690 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 8,700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1987 (39 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,170,994 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,170,994 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,995,627 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 140,000 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3,322 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/27/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | ND01087 |
| Federal ID | ND01087 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |