Wolf Creek dam
Wolf Creek
Wolf Creek is a crucial water resource in South Dakota, specifically in the city of Pine Ridge. Managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, this federal irrigation project was completed in 1965 and serves the primary purpose of providing water for agricultural activities. With a structural height of 27 feet and a length of 700 feet, the earth dam on Wolf Creek has a significant hazard potential, with a very high risk rating assigned to it.
Despite being a federal project, Wolf Creek is not regulated by the state of South Dakota and does not require state permitting or inspections. The dam's controlled spillway and rock foundation contribute to its stability, while its maximum storage capacity is 370 acre-feet. While the dam's condition assessment is not currently available, its risk assessment is marked as very high, highlighting the importance of ongoing monitoring and management measures to ensure the safety of the surrounding community.
Wolf Creek's location in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota, makes it a vital water source for irrigation and recreation. With Dusty Johnson as the local congressional representative, stakeholders and enthusiasts in water resources and climate may be interested in the management and maintenance of this federal dam project.
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 Wolf Creek -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| White R Nr Ne-Sd State Line | 3 cfs | → |
| White R Near Oglala Sd | 101 cfs | → |
| Horsehead Cr At Oelrichs Sd | · | → |
| Cheyenne R Near Buffalo Gap Sd | 56 cfs | → |
| Little White R Near Martin Sd | 12 cfs | → |
| Lake Cr Above Refuge Near Tuthill Sd | 26 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wolf Creek.
More reservoirs
Track Wolf Creek 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 Wolf Creek
Where does the data for Wolf Creek 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 Significant 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 Wolf Creek.