Hugh Mcdonald is an earth dam located in Platte County, Wyoming, built in 1949. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 37 ft37 ft tall and 518 ft long, taller than 83% 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 Hugh Mcdonald
The primary purpose of Hugh Mcdonald is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Michael & Valorie Heatherly (private). It impounds the North Chugwater Creek near Chugwater.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 518 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 173 acre-feet. Completed in 1949, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 06/29/2021.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 83% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Wyoming |
| County | Platte |
| Nearest City | Chugwater |
| River/Stream | North Chugwater Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.68900, -105.04610 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Length | 518 ft |
| Year Completed | 1949 (77 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 173 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 173 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 117 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | Michael & Valorie Heatherly |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/29/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WY00145 |
| Federal ID | WY00145 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |