Big Chief Dam is a gravity dam located in Natrona County, Wyoming, built in 1964. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 32 ft32 ft tall and 413 ft long, taller than 74% 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 concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Big Chief Dam
The primary purpose of Big Chief Dam is debris control. The dam is designed to catch sediment, rocks, and debris carried by flowing water — particularly important in areas prone to mudslides or heavy erosion. The dam is owned by Doi BLM (federal). It impounds the Trib Three Buttes Creek.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 413 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 71 acre-feet. Completed in 1964, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. The most recent inspection on record was 07/21/2017.
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Location
| State | Wyoming |
| County | Natrona |
| River/Stream | Trib Three Buttes Creek |
| Coordinates | 43.33845, -107.05132 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 413 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 71 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 71 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 14 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 6 acres |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Debris Control |
| Owner | Doi BLM |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/21/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WY01429 |
| Federal ID | WY01429 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |