Imperial Dam is an earth dam located in Chase County, Nebraska, built in 1917. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 21 ft21 ft tall and 1,260 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 Imperial Dam
The primary purpose of Imperial 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 Imperial (local government). It impounds the Frenchman River near Wauneta.
The dam stands 21 feet tall and stretches 1,260 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 40 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 960 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1917, the structure is over a century old.
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 10/06/2021.
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Location
| State | Nebraska |
| County | Chase |
| Nearest City | Wauneta |
| River/Stream | Frenchman River |
| Coordinates | 40.46377, -101.69613 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Height | 21 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,260 ft |
| Year Completed | 1917 (109 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 960 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 960 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 40 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,500 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Imperial |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/06/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NE00709 |
| Federal ID | NE00709 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |