Doll Dam; Gary dam
Doll Dam; Gary
Doll Dam in Gary, North Dakota, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1937 for fire protection, stock, and small fish pond purposes. The dam stands at a height of 16 feet and stretches 500 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 249 acre-feet. Situated on Sweetbriar Creek-TR, the dam has a surface area of 20 acres and drains a 2.35 square mile watershed.
Managed by the North Dakota State Water Commission, Doll Dam has a low hazard potential and a moderate risk level. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 200 feet. In 1991, the dam underwent structural modifications. Despite not being rated for condition assessment, the dam is inspected, permitted, and regulated by the state, with emergency action plans potentially in place.
Doll Dam serves as a critical water resource infrastructure in Oliver County, offering essential services while posing low risk to the surrounding community. As a point of interest for water resource and climate enthusiasts, the dam's history, design, and operational details provide valuable insights into the intersection of human engineering and natural water systems.
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 Doll Dam; Gary -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetbriar Creek Nr Judson | 2 cfs | → |
| Square Butte Creek Below Center | 2 cfs | → |
| Big Muddy Creek Near Almont | 6 cfs | → |
| Knife River At Hazen | 49 cfs | → |
| Heart River At Stark Bridge Nr Judson | 73 cfs | → |
| Heart River Nr Mandan | 82 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Doll Dam; Gary.
Boat launches
- 35th Avenue Southwest Oliver County
- Oliver County
- I 94 Mandan
- State Highway 200 Alternate Oliver County
- State Highway 200 Alternate Mercer County
- River Road Oliver County
Campgrounds
- North City Park
- Sweetbriar Lake-Northwest Ramp - Nd Gfd
- Sweet Briar Lake
- Sweetbriar Lake - Southeast Ramp - Nd Gfd
- Crown Butte Dam
Paddle runs
Track Doll Dam; Gary 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 Doll Dam; Gary
Where does the data for Doll Dam; Gary 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 Doll Dam; Gary.