Upper Little Nemaha 21

About Upper Little Nemaha 21

The primary purpose of Upper Little Nemaha 21 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 Nemaha Natural Resources District (local government). It impounds the Little Nemaha River near Rural Bennet.

The dam stands 59 feet tall and stretches 2,400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 40 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,439 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1998, the structure is 28 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 05/07/2024.

At 59 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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 Nebraska dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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