Highway 44 is an earth dam located in Mellette County, South Dakota, built in 1973. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 50 ft50 ft tall and 390 ft long, taller than 92% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Highway 44
Highway 44 is a dam in Mellette, South Dakota. The dam is owned by Dept. of Transportation (state). It impounds the Trib Little White Offstream.
The dam stands 50 feet tall and stretches 390 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 136 acre-feet. Completed in 1973, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 11/02/2023.
At 50 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Mellette |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Trib Little White Offstream |
| Coordinates | 43.56725, -100.77312 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Length | 390 ft |
| Year Completed | 1973 (53 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 136 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 136 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 20 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 50 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Dept. of Transportation |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 11/02/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD01473 |
| Federal ID | SD01473 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |