Werdel West Dam is an earth dam located in Hand County, South Dakota, built in 2008. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 1,200 ft long, taller than 86% 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 Werdel West Dam
The primary purpose of Werdel West Dam is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Pj Werdel & Sons Inc (private). It impounds the Elm Creek-tr.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 1,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 265 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 2008, the structure is relatively new.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | South Dakota |
| County | Hand |
| River/Stream | Elm Creek-tr |
| Coordinates | 44.23881, -99.29368 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 2008 (18 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 265 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 265 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 196 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 675 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Pj Werdel & Sons Inc |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | SD02661 |
| Federal ID | SD02661 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |