Rank Dam
Rank Dam is an earth dam located in Buffalo County, South Dakota, built in 1935. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Rank Dam
The primary purpose of Rank Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Knippling Land & Cattle Inc (private). It impounds the Campbell Creek-tr.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 740 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 42 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,340 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1935, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/02/2022.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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 South Dakota dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Buffalo |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Campbell Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 44.05622, -99.35879 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 740 ft |
| Year Completed | 1935 (91 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,340 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,340 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 750 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 42 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,102 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | KNIPPLING LAND & CATTLE INC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/02/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD00715 |
| Federal ID | SD00715 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |