White Clay
White Clay is an earth dam located in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, built in 1936. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About White Clay
The primary purpose of White Clay is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the White Clay Creek near Pine Ridge.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 1,090 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 75 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,871 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 220 square miles. Completed in 1936, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/03/2023.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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 | Oglala Lakota |
| Nearest City | Pine Ridge |
| River/Stream | White Clay Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.00500, -102.56400 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,090 ft |
| Year Completed | 1936 (90 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,871 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,871 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,800 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 75 acres |
| Drainage Area | 220 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 50,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/03/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD00965 |
| Federal ID | SD00965 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |