MENNO DAM - SD00026-3415
Dam Name: MENNO DAM
State: SD
Downstream Hazard Potential: H
Incident Type: Failure
Incident Date: 06/12/1984
Incident Driver: Hydrologic/Flooding
Incident Mechanism 1: Overtopping
Incident Mechanism 2Insufficient Spillway Capacity
Incident Mechanism 3
Incident IDSD00026-3415
Incident DescriptionHeavy rainfall on the evening of June 11, 1984 along with high reservoir levels from heavy rain in the days prior caused the dam to overtop and fail.
Named Hydrologic Event
EAP Enacted (Y/N) due to Incident
Fatalities (Number)0
Number of People Evacuatedunknown
Number of Habitable Structures Evacuated1
Number of Habitable Structures Flooded1
Other Infrastructure ImpactsOther
Economic Damages (in $)
Response
Volume released at failure (ac-ft)
Additional Remarks or UpdatesThe hog barn and approximately 450 hogs, farmstead buildings, and farm equipment associated with the downstream farm house. There was a court case over damages (Heer vs the State of South Dakota) that made it to the South Dakota Supreme Court which awarded the Heers approximately $650,000 in damages. Dam was reconstructed about 400 feet downstream of original dam site -ground breaking April 1995, dedication June 1996, and first flow through spillway March 1997.
Owner TypeS
Dam TypeRE
Primary Purpose(s)R
EAPY
Dam Height53 ft
Max Storage (ac-ft)2050.00
Surface Area (acres)48.00
Year Completed1935
NID NumberSD00026
River NameJAMES RIVER TRIBUTARY
Latitude43.2617
Longitude-97.6167
Year Modified
1996
Regulatory Agency(ies)DENR
Incident Time7:00
Incident Duration
Incident Report Produced
Information SourcesSD Dam Safety
