Deerfield Park is an earth dam located in Pennington County, South Dakota, built in 1981. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 36 ft36 ft tall and 375 ft long, taller than 82% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Deerfield Park
The primary purpose of Deerfield Park is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Deerfield Park Partnership (private). It impounds the Slate Creek.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 375 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 350 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 10 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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 10/23/2023.
At 36 feet, this dam is taller than 82% 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 | Pennington |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Slate Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.99309, -103.71499 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 375 ft |
| Year Completed | 1981 (45 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 350 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 350 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 175 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
| Drainage Area | 10 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 8,200 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Deerfield Park Partnership |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/23/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD02208 |
| Federal ID | SD02208 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |