Oldest Dams in Nebraska
Nebraska has 2952 dams with recorded construction dates. The oldest dates to 1885 — 141 years ago. Nebraska's earliest dams were built in the 19th century, an era of westward expansion, irrigation development, and early water infrastructure. Older dams require particular attention for safety, as many were built before modern engineering standards.
| # | Dam | County | Year Built | Age | Height (ft) | Hazard | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kearney Dam | Buffalo | 1885 | 141 yrs | 27 | High | Satisfactory |
| 2 | Champion Mill Dam | Chase | 1887 | 139 yrs | 14 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 3 | Chadron Dam 1 | Dawes | 1888 | 138 yrs | 40 | Low | Poor |
| 4 | Lake Helen Dam | Dawson | 1891 | 135 yrs | 27 | High | Fair |
| 5 | Valentine Mill Pond Dam | Cherry | 1893 | 133 yrs | 43 | High | Poor |
| 6 | Pibel Dam | Wheeler | 1895 | 131 yrs | 25 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 7 | Memphis Dam | Saunders | 1897 | 129 yrs | 12 | Low | Poor |
| 8 | Zimmerman Dam | Sioux | 1904 | 122 yrs | 14 | Low | Poor |
| 9 | Arrow Head Dam | Dundy | 1905 | 121 yrs | 17 | Low | Poor |
| 10 | Lake Alice Dam 2 | Scotts Bluff | 1909 | 117 yrs | 11 | Low | Not Available |
| 11 | Pine Canyon Dam | Brown | 1910 | 116 yrs | 35 | Low | Fair |
| 12 | Holmesville Power Plant Dam | Gage | 1910 | 116 yrs | 22 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 13 | Oliver Dam | Kimball | 1910 | 116 yrs | 48 | High | Satisfactory |
| 14 | Squaw Creek Dam | Dawes | 1911 | 115 yrs | 25 | Low | Not Rated |
| 15 | Blue Bluffs Dam | Seward | 1911 | 115 yrs | 27 | Low | Fair |
| 16 | Kilpatrick Dam | Box Butte | 1912 | 114 yrs | 26 | Low | Poor |
| 17 | Lake Alice Dam 1 | Scotts Bluff | 1912 | 114 yrs | 44 | High | Not Available |
| 18 | Lake Alice Dam 1-1/2 | Scotts Bluff | 1913 | 113 yrs | 33 | High | Not Available |
| 19 | Minatare Dam | Scotts Bluff | 1915 | 111 yrs | 114 | High | Not Available |
| 20 | Ericson Dam | Wheeler | 1916 | 110 yrs | 33 | Low | Poor |
| 21 | Imperial Dam | Chase | 1917 | 109 yrs | 21 | Low | Poor |
| 22 | Whitney Dam 1 | Dawes | 1922 | 104 yrs | 19 | Low | Poor |
| 23 | Norman Dam | Dawes | 1927 | 99 yrs | 40 | Significant | Fair |
| 24 | Mcdowell Dam 1 | Dawes | 1929 | 97 yrs | 17 | Low | Fair |
| 25 | Plzett Dam | Sioux | 1929 | 97 yrs | 18 | Low | Fair |
| 26 | Henry Dam 2 | Sioux | 1930 | 96 yrs | 13 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 27 | Wellfleet Dam | Lincoln | 1931 | 95 yrs | 24 | Low | Fair |
| 28 | Wickersham Dam | Sioux | 1931 | 95 yrs | 25 | Low | Poor |
| 29 | Shepherd Dam | Sioux | 1931 | 95 yrs | 17 | Low | Poor |
| 30 | Dout Dam 1 | Sioux | 1931 | 95 yrs | 26 | Significant | Poor |
| 31 | Klasna Dam | Boyd | 1932 | 94 yrs | 29 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 32 | Schaefer Dam 1 | Sioux | 1933 | 93 yrs | 18 | Low | Poor |
| 33 | Rock Creek Dam | Dundy | 1934 | 92 yrs | 40 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 34 | Nikont Dam | Box Butte | 1935 | 91 yrs | 12 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 35 | Phillips Dam | Box Butte | 1935 | 91 yrs | 12 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 36 | Lambie Dam | Clay | 1935 | 91 yrs | 12 | Low | Poor |
| 37 | Alcorn Dam | Dawes | 1935 | 91 yrs | 15 | Significant | Poor |
| 38 | Beasley Dam | Deuel | 1935 | 91 yrs | 10 | Low | Not Rated |
| 39 | James Dam 407 | Franklin | 1935 | 91 yrs | 23 | Significant | Not Rated |
| 40 | Mccue North Dam | Furnas | 1935 | 91 yrs | 24 | Low | Poor |
| 41 | Kugler Dam 1171 | Hitchcock | 1935 | 91 yrs | 19 | Low | Fair |
| 42 | Keystone Diversion | Keith | 1935 | 91 yrs | 20 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 43 | Korty Diversion | Keith | 1935 | 91 yrs | 15 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 44 | Maloney | Lincoln | 1935 | 91 yrs | 44 | High | Satisfactory |
| 45 | Sutherland | Lincoln | 1935 | 91 yrs | 30 | High | Satisfactory |
| 46 | Halsey Dam | Red Willow | 1935 | 91 yrs | 21 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 47 | Vanvleet Dam | Red Willow | 1935 | 91 yrs | 17 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 48 | Smith Dam 1191 | Red Willow | 1935 | 91 yrs | 18 | Low | Satisfactory |
| 49 | Lothrop Dam | Saline | 1935 | 91 yrs | 24 | Significant | Poor |
| 50 | Carter P Johnson Dam | Sioux | 1935 | 91 yrs | 35 | High | Poor |