Draper Dam
Draper Dam is an earth dam located in Jones County, South Dakota, built in 1939. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
About Draper Dam
The primary purpose of Draper Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Draper (local government). It impounds the Medicine Creek.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 26 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 553 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1939, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 11/14/1980. That was over 45 years ago.
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Location
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Jones |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Medicine Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.91499, -100.53166 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1939 (87 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 553 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 553 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 260 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 26 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,970 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF DRAPER |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Last Inspection | 11/14/1980 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD02139 |
| Federal ID | SD02139 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |