Cheney dam
Cheney
Cheney Dam, located in Sedgwick, Kansas, along the North Fork Ninnescah River, is a federal structure designed by the Bureau of Reclamation with a primary purpose of flood risk reduction. Completed in 1963, this earth dam stands at a height of 126 feet and has a storage capacity of 752,976 acre-feet, making it a crucial component in managing water resources in the region. With a surface area of 28,000 acres and a drainage area of 664 square miles, Cheney Dam plays a vital role in providing flood protection, recreation opportunities, and water supply for the surrounding communities.
Despite its high hazard potential and moderate risk assessment, Cheney Dam has not undergone a recent condition assessment, and the last inspection was conducted in August 2020. While the dam is not state-regulated, the Bureau of Reclamation is responsible for its design, construction, regulation, inspection, and operation. The dam's uncontrolled spillway, with a width of 22 feet, helps manage maximum discharges of up to 3000 cubic feet per second during flood events. With its strategic location and significant storage capacity, Cheney Dam continues to be a critical infrastructure for water resource management and climate resilience in the region.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Cheney -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nf Ninnescah R At Cheney Dam | 0 cfs | → |
| Sf Ninnescah R Nr Murdock | 92 cfs | → |
| Nf Ninnescah R Ab Cheney Re | 32 cfs | → |
| Arkansas R Nr Hutchinson | 103 cfs | → |
| Cowskin C At 119th St At Wichita | 1 cfs | → |
| Floodway At Arkansas R At Wichita | · | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cheney.
Boat launches
- West 55th Street South 1378, Wichita
- East 45th Street North 1221, Park City
- Wichita
- East 29th Street North Wichita
Fishing spots
- Cheney Reservoir
- Sedgwick Co. Lake Afton
- Mount Hope - Woodland Park
- Wichita - Blackbird Pond
- Wichita - Sunflower Pond
- Kingman Hoover Pond
More reservoirs
Track Cheney in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Cheney
Where does the data for Cheney come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Cheney.