Sardis Dam

About Sardis Dam

The primary purpose of Sardis 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 Usace - Tulsa District (federal). It impounds the Jackfork Creek near Clayton.

The dam stands 83 feet tall and stretches 14,138 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 13,610 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 735,830 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 275 square miles. Completed in 1982, the structure is 44 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/25/2025.

At 83 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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 Oklahoma dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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