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.
Dam profile
NID height · 11 ft11 ft tall and 560 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 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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Location
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Faulk |
| River/Stream | Dove Creek |
| Coordinates | 44.94000, -98.78500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Length | 560 ft |
| Year Completed | 1930 (96 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 480 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 480 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 368 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 100 acres |
| Max Discharge | 2,220 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | US Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/21/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD00662 |
| Federal ID | SD00662 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |