Fort Randall Dam
Encyclopedia
The Fort Randall Dam is an earth embankment dam
impounding the Missouri River
in South Dakota
, United States
and forming Lake Francis Case
. It is one of six Missouri River dams, four being located in South Dakota.
The dam was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944
and plays a key role in the Pick-Sloan Plan for development of water resources in the Missouri River
basin. The Corps of Engineers
began construction of Fort Randall Dam in 1946, and it was the first Pick-Sloan dam completed by the Omaha
District. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
threw the switch that started the first power generating unit in 1954. When completed in 1956, Fort Randall Dam and the Lake Francis Case Project
cost approximately $200 million.
The eight generating units of the Fort Randall Dam are capable of generating 40 megawatts of electricity each. The combined maximum capacity of 320 megawatts is enough to supply 245,000 households, according to the Corps of Engineers. The river behind the dam drains an area of 263,480 mi² (682,410 km²). Its reservoir, Lake Francis Case
, has a surface area of 102,000 acres (413 km²) at maximum operating pool, coinciding with a volume of 5700000 acre.ft.
The Fort Randall Dam is located in southeast South Dakota
within sight of its namesake Fort Randall
at 43°03′35"N 98°33′43"W (GNIS); by Pickstown, South Dakota
on the east bank of the river; 12 miles (19 km) west of Wagner, South Dakota
, on South Dakota Highway 46; and 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of Spencer, Nebraska
, on U.S. Highway 281.
In June 2011, in response to the 2011 Missouri River Floods
, the dam was releasing over 143000 cuft/s, which greatly exceeded its previous record release of 67000 cuft/s set in 1997.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
impounding the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
in South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and forming Lake Francis Case
Lake Francis Case
Lake Francis Case is a large reservoir behind Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River in south-central South Dakota, USA. The lake has an area of and a maximum depth of . Lake Francis Case has a length of approximately and has a shoreline of . The reservoir is named for former South Dakota Senator...
. It is one of six Missouri River dams, four being located in South Dakota.
The dam was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944
Flood Control Act of 1944
The Pick-Sloan Flood Control Act of 1944 , enacted in the 2nd session of the 78th Congress, is U.S. legislation that authorized the construction of numerous dams and modifications to previously existing dams, as well as levees across the United States...
and plays a key role in the Pick-Sloan Plan for development of water resources in the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
basin. The Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
began construction of Fort Randall Dam in 1946, and it was the first Pick-Sloan dam completed by the Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
District. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
threw the switch that started the first power generating unit in 1954. When completed in 1956, Fort Randall Dam and the Lake Francis Case Project
Lake Francis Case
Lake Francis Case is a large reservoir behind Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River in south-central South Dakota, USA. The lake has an area of and a maximum depth of . Lake Francis Case has a length of approximately and has a shoreline of . The reservoir is named for former South Dakota Senator...
cost approximately $200 million.
The eight generating units of the Fort Randall Dam are capable of generating 40 megawatts of electricity each. The combined maximum capacity of 320 megawatts is enough to supply 245,000 households, according to the Corps of Engineers. The river behind the dam drains an area of 263,480 mi² (682,410 km²). Its reservoir, Lake Francis Case
Lake Francis Case
Lake Francis Case is a large reservoir behind Fort Randall Dam on the Missouri River in south-central South Dakota, USA. The lake has an area of and a maximum depth of . Lake Francis Case has a length of approximately and has a shoreline of . The reservoir is named for former South Dakota Senator...
, has a surface area of 102,000 acres (413 km²) at maximum operating pool, coinciding with a volume of 5700000 acre.ft.
The Fort Randall Dam is located in southeast South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
within sight of its namesake Fort Randall
Fort Randall, South Dakota
The Fort Randall Military Post was established in 1856 to help keep peace on the frontier. It was located on the south side of the Missouri River in South Dakota, just below the present site of the Fort Randall Dam. The site for the fort was selected in 1856 by General William S. Harney...
at 43°03′35"N 98°33′43"W (GNIS); by Pickstown, South Dakota
Pickstown, South Dakota
Pickstown is a town in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 201 at the 2010 census. It was named after Lewis A. Pick, director of the Missouri River office of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.-Geography:...
on the east bank of the river; 12 miles (19 km) west of Wagner, South Dakota
Wagner, South Dakota
Wagner is a city in Charles Mix County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 1,566 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Wagner is located at ....
, on South Dakota Highway 46; and 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast of Spencer, Nebraska
Spencer, Nebraska
Spencer is a village in Boyd County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 541 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spencer is located at ....
, on U.S. Highway 281.
In June 2011, in response to the 2011 Missouri River Floods
2011 Missouri River floods
The 2011 Missouri River floods are a flooding event on the Missouri River in the United States. The flooding has been triggered by record snowfall in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Wyoming along with near record spring rainfall in central and eastern Montana...
, the dam was releasing over 143000 cuft/s, which greatly exceeded its previous record release of 67000 cuft/s set in 1997.