High Risk Dams in South Dakota

South Dakota has 23 high hazard dams with a condition assessment of poor or unsatisfactory. These are dams where failure would probably cause loss of human life and where recognized safety deficiencies have been identified.

Of the 85 high hazard dams in South Dakota, 23 (27%) have concerning condition ratings — 16 rated poor and 7 rated unsatisfactory.

DamCountyHeight (ft)ConditionPurposeYear
OglalaOglala Lakota62UnsatisfactoryRecreation1941
MarindahlYankton58PoorRecreation1953
RichmondBrown52PoorRecreation1935
Ghost HawkTodd47UnsatisfactoryRecreation1975
Rank DamBuffalo40PoorRecreation1935
White ClayOglala Lakota35UnsatisfactoryRecreation1936
Lake Corsica DamDouglas32PoorRecreation1939
King Dam No. 1Haakon30PoorFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond1960
Redfield LakeSpink30PoorRecreation1939
Wolf CreekOglala Lakota27UnsatisfactoryIrrigation1965
Clarence Smith DamZiebach25PoorFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond1958
AntelopeTodd25PoorRecreation1939
AllenBennett24UnsatisfactoryRecreation1961
Cresbard DamFaulk22PoorRecreation1936
Mark Fisher DamPerkins21PoorFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond1957
Bud Young Section 3Ziebach21PoorFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond1957
AmbroseHyde21PoorRecreation1935
Corn CreekMellette20UnsatisfactoryIrrigation
Bednar DamZiebach19PoorRecreation1933
King Dam No. 2Haakon18PoorFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond1954
C. VansickelMeade17PoorFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond1936
Kjerstad Dam No. 2Pennington14PoorFire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond1941
Custer WestCuster13UnsatisfactoryRecreation1943

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