Elm Lake Dam dam
Elm Lake Dam
Elm Lake Dam, located in Westport, South Dakota, was completed in 1937 and stands at a height of 45 feet along the Elm River. The dam is primarily an earth structure with a stone core and soil foundation. It has a maximum storage capacity of 28,800 acre-feet and a normal storage of 15,200 acre-feet, serving as a crucial water resource for the region. The dam's spillway, with a width of 375 feet, is uncontrolled, capable of discharging up to 13,850 cubic feet per second.
Despite its importance, Elm Lake Dam has been rated as having a high hazard potential and is currently in poor condition, according to a 2019 assessment. The dam is inspected every three years, with the last assessment conducted in November 2019. While the risk assessment for the dam is moderate, there is a need for significant risk management measures to ensure the safety and operational efficiency of the structure. As climate change continues to impact water resources, maintaining and upgrading dams like Elm Lake Dam will be crucial for ensuring water security 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 Elm Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Maple R At Nd-Sd State Line | 15 cfs | → |
| Elm R At Westport Sd | 31 cfs | → |
| Foot Creek Near Aberdeen | 115 cfs | → |
| James R At Columbia Sd | 653 cfs | → |
| James River At Nd-Sd State Line | 697 cfs | → |
| James River At Lamoure | 505 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Elm Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Coldwater Lake Boating Access
- 127th Street 37861, Brown County
- County Road 13 Brown County
- 382nd Avenue Brown County
- County Road 6 Brown County
- 101st Street Southeast Dickey County
Track Elm Lake 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 Elm Lake Dam
Where does the data for Elm Lake 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 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 Elm Lake Dam.