Parmelee
Parmelee is an earth dam located in Todd County, South Dakota, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Parmelee
The primary purpose of Parmelee 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 Cut Meat Creek.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 1,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 47 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,290 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 67 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 07/14/2020.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 83% 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 | Todd |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Cut Meat Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.32254, -101.03460 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,290 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,290 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 530 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 47 acres |
| Drainage Area | 67 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 5,786 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | BIA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/14/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD02143 |
| Federal ID | SD02143 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |