Zell Lake Dam

Zell Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Faulk County, South Dakota, built in 1930. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Zell Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Zell Lake Dam is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Us Fish And Wildlife Service (federal). It impounds the Dove Creek.

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 560 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 100 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 480 acre-feet. Completed in 1930, 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. 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 10/21/2020.

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Low HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateSouth Dakota
CountyFaulk
River/StreamDove Creek
Coordinates44.94000, -98.78500

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height11 ft
Dam Height11 ft
Dam Length560 ft
Year Completed1930 (96 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage480 acre-ft
Max Storage480 acre-ft
Normal Storage368 acre-ft
Surface Area100 acres
Max Discharge2,220 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFish and Wildlife Pond
OwnerUS FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection10/21/2020
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDSD00662
Federal IDSD00662
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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