Pace Dam dam
Pace Dam
Pace Dam, located in Pennington, South Dakota, is a privately owned structure designed by USDA NRCS and completed in 2002. This earth dam, standing at a height of 22 feet with a length of 500 feet, serves the purpose of regulating the flow of Tr. Box Elder Creek. With a maximum storage capacity of 85 acre-feet and a normal storage of 39 acre-feet, Pace Dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Despite being classified as a low hazard potential structure, Pace Dam is subject to state regulations, inspections, and enforcement to ensure its safety and compliance with standards. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 80 feet and a maximum discharge capacity of 1080 cubic feet per second. While the condition assessment is currently not rated, the risk assessment indicates a moderate level of risk, emphasizing the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to prevent potential hazards.
Pace Dam's presence highlights the intersection of water resource management and climate resilience, showcasing the collaborative efforts between private owners, state agencies, and designers to safeguard critical infrastructure. As enthusiasts in this field, understanding the technical specifications, regulatory oversight, and risk management measures associated with Pace Dam provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in sustaining water resources in South Dakota.
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 Pace Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rapid Cr Near Farmingdale Sd | 20 cfs | → |
| Rapid Cr Bl Sewage Treatment Pl Nr Rapid City | 40 cfs | → |
| Elk Cr Nr Rapid City Sd | 13 cfs | → |
| Elk Cr Near Elm Springs Sd | 1 cfs | → |
| Rapid Cr At Rapid City Sd | 88 cfs | → |
| Cheyenne River Near Wasta | 65 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pace Dam.
Campgrounds
- Ellsworth Afb Military
- Rapid City - Black Hills Koa
- Central States Fairgrounds
- Little Jon Park
- Canyon Lake Cottages
- Sage Creek Campground
Track Pace 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 Pace Dam
Where does the data for Pace 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 Pace Dam.