Ray E. Smith Dam dam
Ray E. Smith Dam
Ray E. Smith Dam, located in Custer, South Dakota, along Cottonwood Creek, is a privately owned structure with a low hazard potential. Built in 1954 by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, this earth dam stands at 18 feet tall and spans 350 feet in length, providing a maximum storage capacity of 72 acre-feet. The dam has a normal storage capacity of 56 acre-feet and a maximum discharge rate of 1100 cubic feet per second.
Despite being in a state-regulated jurisdiction with permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place, the condition of Ray E. Smith Dam is currently assessed as "Not Rated." While the dam has not been evaluated for risk assessment, emergency action plans, or inundation maps, its low hazard potential indicates a lower likelihood of significant consequences in the event of a failure. With the dam not being under the jurisdiction of the US Army Corps of Engineers, ongoing monitoring and maintenance by the private owner are essential to ensure the continued safety and functionality of this vital water resource infrastructure.
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 Ray E. Smith Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne R Near Buffalo Gap Sd | 56 cfs | → |
| Beaver Cr Near Buffalo Gap Sd | 2 cfs | → |
| French Cr Above Fairburn Sd | 2 cfs | → |
| Beaver Creek Near Pringle | 5 cfs | → |
| Cheyenne River At Redshirt | 62 cfs | → |
| Grace Coolidge Cr Nr Game Lodge Nr Custer Sd | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Ray E. Smith Dam.
Boat launches
- South Boat Ramp Road Fall River County
- Fall River County
- Sheps Canyon Road Fall River County
- Bismark Lake Road Custer County
- County Highway 6d Fall River County
Campgrounds
- French Creek
- French Creek Campground
- French Creek Camping Area
- Elk Mountain Campground
- Elk Mountain - Wind Cave National Park
- Game Lodge - Custer State Park
Track Ray E. Smith Dam 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 Ray E. Smith Dam
Where does the data for Ray E. Smith Dam 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 Low 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 Ray E. Smith Dam.