Brooks Dam
Brooks Dam is an earth dam located in Haakon County, South Dakota, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Brooks Dam
The primary purpose of Brooks Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Don Burns (private). It impounds the West Plum Creek-tr.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 475 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 28 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 414 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1953, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/20/2023.
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 | Haakon |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | West Plum Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 44.32714, -101.74219 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 475 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 414 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 414 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 249 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 28 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,731 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond |
| Owner | DON BURNS |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/20/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD01660 |
| Federal ID | SD01660 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |