Ruff Dam is an earth dam located in Red Willow County, Nebraska, built in 1960. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 23 ft23 ft tall and 290 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 Ruff Dam
The primary purpose of Ruff Dam 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 James C & Karen L Ruff (private). It impounds the Tr-republican River.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 290 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 53 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years 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 08/10/2023.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Nebraska |
| County | Red Willow |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Tr-republican River |
| Coordinates | 40.27067, -100.74021 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 290 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 53 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 53 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 13 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | James C & Karen L Ruff |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/10/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NE03448 |
| Federal ID | NE03448 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |