South Nelson 1
South Nelson 1 is an earth dam located in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, built in 1966. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About South Nelson 1
The primary purpose of South Nelson 1 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Buffalo County (local government). It impounds the Spring Creek near Alma.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 172 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1966, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/18/2015. That was over 10 years ago.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Buffalo |
| Nearest City | Alma |
| River/Stream | Spring Creek |
| Coordinates | 44.37851, -91.94567 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 172 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 172 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 62 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 3,191 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Buffalo County |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/18/2015 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI00353 |
| Federal ID | WI00353 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |