Dams in Polk County, Iowa
80Total Dams
11High Hazard
24Significant
Dam Safety in Polk County, Iowa
Polk County has 80 dams tracked in the National Inventory of Dams. Of these, 11 are classified as high hazard — meaning failure would probably cause loss of human life. Another 24 carry a significant hazard classification.
The average dam in Polk County is 45 years old. The most common purpose is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The tallest dam is Saylorville Dam at 125 ft.
Explore more: Oldest dams in Iowa · Tallest dams · High risk dams · Largest reservoirs
| Dam | Hazard | Condition | Height (ft) | Purpose | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saylorville Dam | High | Not Available | 125 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1975 |
| Big Creek Barrier Dam | High | Not Available | 84 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1974 |
| Big Creek Diversion Dam | High | Not Available | 80 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1970 |
| Fort Des Moines Park Dam | High | Fair | 49 | Recreation | 1977 |
| Twenty-sixth Street Stormwater Detention Basin | High | Satisfactory | 43 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2007 |
| West Lakes Office Park Dam | High | Satisfactory | 41 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1990 |
| Clive Lake Dam | High | Satisfactory | 37 | Other | 1989 |
| Glen Oaks Country Club Dam | High | Satisfactory | 36 | Recreation | 1950 |
| Easter Lake Stormwater Retention Basin - Site 9 | High | Satisfactory | 24 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2005 |
| Parkview Lake Dam | High | Satisfactory | 21 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1978 |
| Red Rock Dam - Carlisle Remedial Works | High | Not Available | 13 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1967 |
| Woodland Lake Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 43 | 1971 | |
| Easter Lake Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 43 | Recreation | 1967 |
| Dmacc Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 37 | Other | 1984 |
| Hickory Glen Park Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 35 | Recreation | 2019 |
| Se Des Moines Stormwater Det. Dam #3 | Significant | Satisfactory | 34 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1999 |
| Prairie Trail Development - South Dam | Significant | Not Rated | 31 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2008 |
| Copper Creek Lake Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 31 | Irrigation | 1995 |
| Shryock Dam | Significant | Fair | 30 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1963 |
| Woodlands Parkway Dam | Significant | Fair | 28 | 1964 | |
| Thomas Mitchell Park Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 27 | Recreation | 1971 |
| Lake Halice Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 27 | Recreation | 1961 |
| Se Des Moines Stormwater Det. Dam #4 | Significant | Satisfactory | 26 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1999 |
| Prairie Trail - Cp5 | Significant | Not Rated | 24 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2014 |
| Thirty-fifth Street Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 23 | Other | 1992 |
| Crescent Lake Dam | Significant | Not Rated | 22 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2007 |
| Easter Lake Retention Basin # 10 | Significant | Satisfactory | 22 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2005 |
| Prairie Trail Development - North Dam | Significant | Not Rated | 22 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2008 |
| Copper Creek Estates Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 21 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2002 |
| Thunder Bay Lake Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 19 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2010 |
| Easter Lake Retention Basin #1 | Significant | Satisfactory | 18 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2005 |
| Ward Business Park Dam | Significant | Not Rated | 17 | Other | 2001 |
| Jester Park Estates Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 11 | Recreation | 2005 |
| Ilex Dam | Significant | Not Rated | 10 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1980 |
| Fountain View Lake Dam | Significant | Not Rated | 8 | Other | 1993 |
| Big Creek Terminal Dam | Low | Not Available | 95 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1972 |
| Polk County Roadgrade Dam 3-80-24 | Low | Not Rated | 49 | Other | 1992 |
| Yellowbanks Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 41 | Recreation | 1986 |
| Polk County Roadgrade Dam 21-78-22 | Low | Not Rated | 41 | Other | 1992 |
| Waterford Pond Dam | Low | Fair | 40 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1966 |
| Bennett Dam | Low | Not Rated | 38 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1987 |
| Polk County Roadgrade Dam 5-80-22 | Low | Not Rated | 35 | Other | 1996 |
| Hickory Lake Dam | Low | Not Rated | 34 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1970 |
| Cutler Dam | Low | Not Rated | 32 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1940 |
| Young Dam | Low | Not Rated | 31 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 2004 |
| Rasmussen Dam | Low | Not Rated | 31 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 2006 |
| Mc Clintic Dam | Low | Not Rated | 31 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1979 |
| Urban America Development Dam | Low | Not Rated | 31 | Recreation | 1966 |
| Ankeny Golf & Country Club Dam | Low | Not Rated | 31 | Recreation | 1962 |
| Phipps Dam | Low | Not Rated | 30 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1967 |
| Green Dam | Low | Not Rated | 30 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1961 |
| Triplett Dam | Low | Not Rated | 30 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1969 |
| Owen Dam | Low | Not Rated | 28 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1960 |
| Wakonda Country Club Dam | Low | Not Rated | 28 | Recreation | 1995 |
| Sawgrass Park Dam | Low | Fair | 27 | Recreation | 1980 |
| Sloan Dam | Low | Not Rated | 27 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1968 |
| Olmstead Dam | Low | Not Rated | 27 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1966 |
| Campbell Dam | Low | Not Rated | 26 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1988 |
| Renaud Dam | Low | Not Rated | 26 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1959 |
| Clements Dam | Low | Not Rated | 26 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1964 |
| Ross Dam | Low | Not Rated | 26 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1968 |
| Busby Dam | Low | Not Rated | 26 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 2005 |
| Colby Dam | Low | Not Rated | 26 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1968 |
| King Dam | Low | Not Rated | 26 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1967 |
| Young Dam | Low | Not Rated | 25 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1980 |
| Ferguson Dam | Low | Not Rated | 25 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1967 |
| Wise Dam | Low | Not Rated | 25 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1959 |
| Wickard Dam | Low | Not Rated | 25 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1964 |
| Porter Dam | Low | Not Rated | 25 | Recreation | 1955 |
| Amos/everly Dam | Low | Not Rated | 24 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1968 |
| Se Des Moines Stormwater Det. Dam #8 | Low | Satisfactory | 23 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1999 |
| Tuscany Pond Dam | Low | 20 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1970 | |
| Metro West Dam (sw) | Low | Not Rated | 20 | Debris Control | 1996 |
| Se Des Moines Stormwater Det. Dam #5 | Low | Satisfactory | 19 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1999 |
| Southpoint Wetland Mitigation Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 15 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 2004 |
| Des Moines-center Street Milldam | Low | Not Rated | 11 | Recreation | 1916 |
| Facebook North Detention Dam | Low | 11 | Flood Risk Reduction | 2020 | |
| Bailey Carpenter Wrp Dike #2 | Low | Not Rated | 8 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 2008 |
| Des Moines-waterworks Dam | Low | Not Rated | 7 | Water Supply | 1923 |
| Des Moines-scott Street Milldam | Low | Not Rated | 7 | Recreation | 1920 |