Wolf Creek
Wolf Creek is an earth dam located in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Wolf Creek
The primary purpose of Wolf Creek is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Bia (federal). It impounds the Wolf Creek near Pine Ridge.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 700 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 371 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 25 square miles. Completed in 1965, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 | Wolf Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.02561, -102.50105 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 371 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 371 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 370 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 25 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,500 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD00967 |
| Federal ID | SD00967 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |