84Total Dams
2High Hazard
7Significant
Dam Safety in Dawson County, Nebraska
Dawson County has 84 dams tracked in the National Inventory of Dams. Of these, 2 are classified as high hazard — meaning failure would probably cause loss of human life. Another 7 carry a significant hazard classification. Currently, 20 dams have a condition assessment of poor or unsatisfactory.
The average dam in Dawson County is 61 years old. The most common purpose is other. The tallest dam is Big Plum Creek at 74 ft.
Explore more: Oldest dams in Nebraska · Tallest dams · High risk dams · Largest reservoirs
| Dam | Hazard | Condition | Height (ft) | Purpose | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Creek 19-b | High | Poor | 60 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1979 |
| Lake Helen Dam | High | Fair | 27 | Recreation | 1891 |
| Buffalo Creek B-1 | Significant | Satisfactory | 62 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1982 |
| Buffalo Creek B-3 | Significant | Satisfactory | 50 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1980 |
| Spring Creek 11-a 303 | Significant | Poor | 41 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1972 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 1 | Significant | Not assessed | 35 | Other | 1965 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 2 | Significant | Not assessed | 34 | Other | 1965 |
| Farnam Dam | Significant | Poor | 15 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1937 |
| Jk Land Dam | Significant | Not assessed | 12 | Other | 1960 |
| Big Plum Creek | Low | Satisfactory | 74 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Central Midway | Low | Satisfactory | 60 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Schmeeckle | Low | Satisfactory | 59 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Gallagher | Low | Satisfactory | 54 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Glen Young | Low | Satisfactory | 53 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Walker | Low | Satisfactory | 43 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| West Midway Canyon | Low | Satisfactory | 38 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Spring Creek 9-b | Low | Satisfactory | 36 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1970 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 3 | Low | Not assessed | 34 | Other | 1971 |
| Hi-gain Feedlot Lagoon 3 Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 33 | Other | 1992 |
| Plum Creek Feedyard Lagoon 1 Dam | Low | Poor | 33 | Other | 2007 |
| Buffalo Creek C-5 | Low | Satisfactory | 32 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1976 |
| Buffalo-french Creek F-5 | Low | Satisfactory | 32 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1984 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 4 | Low | Not assessed | 32 | Other | 1971 |
| Pigeon Ranch Livestock Lagoon Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 31 | Other | 2009 |
| Spring Creek 9-a 301 | Low | Satisfactory | 30 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1970 |
| Smith Supply Canal Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 30 | Other | 1982 |
| French Creek F-7 | Low | Satisfactory | 28 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1977 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 5 | Low | Not assessed | 28 | Other | 1971 |
| Pigeon Ranch Expansion Lagoon Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 27 | Other | 2016 |
| French Creek F-3 | Low | Satisfactory | 26 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1977 |
| Mustard Detention Dam | Low | Poor | 25 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1963 |
| Brown | Low | Satisfactory | 25 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Hiles Canyon | Low | Satisfactory | 25 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Lauby Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 24 | Irrigation | 1946 |
| Thomas Livestock Lagoon Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 24 | Other | 2011 |
| English Dam | Low | Poor | 23 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1960 |
| Central Feeders Lagoon 1 Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 23 | Other | 2010 |
| Dead End | Low | Satisfactory | 23 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Lemmer North Dam | Low | Not assessed | 22 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1945 |
| Clouatre Dam | Low | Poor | 21 | Other | 1950 |
| Wichelt Dam | Low | Poor | 20 | Other | 1960 |
| Spring Creek 18-a | Low | Satisfactory | 20 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1976 |
| Buffalo Creek F-1 | Low | Fair | 20 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1978 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 7 | Low | Not assessed | 19 | Other | 1971 |
| Henderson | Low | Satisfactory | 19 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Shadley Dam | Low | Not assessed | 18 | Other | 1948 |
| Neben Dam 2 | Low | Not assessed | 18 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1952 |
| Peden Dam 1 | Low | Not assessed | 18 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1965 |
| Jensen | Low | Satisfactory | 18 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |
| Kennicutt Dam | Low | Not assessed | 17 | Other | 1960 |
| Seberger Dam | Low | Poor | 17 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1960 |
| Buffalo Lagoon Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 17 | Other | 2008 |
| Darr Feedlots Lagoon 2 Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 17 | Other | 2007 |
| Velte Dam | Low | Not assessed | 16 | Other | 1960 |
| Wiggins Dam | Low | Not assessed | 16 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1960 |
| Neben Dam | Low | Not assessed | 16 | Other | 1945 |
| Beatty Dam | Low | Not assessed | 15 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1950 |
| Young Dam | Low | Poor | 15 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1960 |
| Peden Dam 2 | Low | Not assessed | 15 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1957 |
| Jessen Dam 1416 | Low | Not assessed | 14 | Other | 1955 |
| Moomey Dam 9777 | Low | Poor | 14 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1960 |
| Winter Dam 1440 | Low | Poor | 14 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1955 |
| Lemmer East Dam | Low | Not assessed | 14 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1945 |
| Hamlot Lagoon Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 14 | Other | 2013 |
| Lemmer South Dam | Low | Poor | 13 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1945 |
| Knapple Dam | Low | Not assessed | 13 | Other | 1960 |
| Judy Dam 1417 | Low | Not assessed | 13 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1950 |
| Buckley Dam | Low | Not assessed | 13 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1954 |
| Newquist Dam | Low | Not assessed | 13 | Other | 1961 |
| O'connor Dam 1 | Low | Poor | 13 | Other | 1957 |
| Roberts Cattle Company Lagoon 3 Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 13 | Other | 2006 |
| Winter Dam 10023 | Low | Poor | 12 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1980 |
| Beattie Diversion Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 12 | Other | 2007 |
| School Land Dam 4 | Low | Poor | 12 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1945 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 8 | Low | Not assessed | 12 | Other | 1962 |
| Freburg Dam | Low | Poor | 11 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1950 |
| Hoffins Dam | Low | Not assessed | 11 | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond | 1960 |
| Eutsler Dam | Low | Poor | 11 | Other | 1945 |
| Longley Dam | Low | Not assessed | 11 | Other | 1946 |
| Sherman Dam 1437 | Low | Poor | 11 | Other | 1950 |
| Dawson County Road Dam 6 | Low | Not assessed | 11 | Other | 1971 |
| O'connor Dam 2 | Low | Poor | 9 | Other | 1955 |
| Dawson Feeders - West Lagoon Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 8 | Other | 2012 |
| Little Plum Creek | Low | Satisfactory | 8 | Hydroelectric | 1941 |