Bison is an earth dam located in Perkins County, South Dakota, built in 1947. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 24 ft24 ft tall and 2,300 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 Bison
The primary purpose of Bison is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Gf&p (state). It impounds the Thunder Butte Creek.
The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 2,300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 122 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,140 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 100 square miles. Completed in 1947, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. The most recent inspection on record was 11/06/2018.
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Location
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Perkins |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Thunder Butte Creek |
| Coordinates | 45.46244, -102.39719 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1947 (79 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,140 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,140 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 880 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 122 acres |
| Drainage Area | 100 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 11,046 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Gf&p |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 11/06/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD00035 |
| Federal ID | SD00035 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |