Heart Butte Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heart Butte Dam |
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Heart Butte, namesake of Heart Butte Dam
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 Location of Heart Butte Dam in USA North Dakota
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| Location | Grant County, North Dakota, United States. |
| Coordinates | 46°35′49″N 101°48′39″W / 46.59688°N 101.81075°W |
| Construction began | 1948 |
| Opening date | 1949 |
| Operator(s) | United States Bureau of Reclamation |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment earth fill |
| Impounds | Heart River |
| Height | 142 feet (43 m) |
| Length | 1,850 feet (560 m) |
| Dam volume | 1,140,000 cubic yards (870,000 m3) |
| Spillways | 1 Morning-glory type |
| Spillway capacity | 5,700 cfs at 1,644.4 feet msl pool elevation |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Tschida |
| Total capacity | 223,646 acre-feet (0.275863 km3) |
| Surface area | 3,397 acres (1,375 ha) (max) |
| Website Heart Butte Dam - U.S. Bureau of Reclamation |
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The Heart Butte Dam is a large structure in Grant County, located in southwestern North Dakota. It was built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation and finished in 1949. This dam helps control floods and provides water for farming. It's an earthen dam, meaning it's made mostly of earth and rock, and it stands about 142 feet tall. The dam holds back the Heart River.
Heart Butte Dam: A Big Helper for North Dakota
The Heart Butte Dam was created to serve two main purposes. First, it helps with flood control. This means it stops too much water from flowing down the river during heavy rains or snowmelt. By holding back water, it protects towns and farms from flooding.
Second, the dam provides irrigation water. Irrigation is a way to supply water to crops and fields. This is very important in places where there isn't enough natural rainfall. The dam makes sure farmers have enough water to grow their food.
Lake Tschida: A Fun Place to Visit
The water held back by the Heart Butte Dam forms a large lake called Lake Tschida. This lake covers about 3,400 acres, which is like 2,500 football fields! It also has about 55 miles of shoreline. The lake can hold a huge amount of water, over 214,000 acre-feet.
Lake Tschida is named after Michael Tschida Sr. He was the first mayor of Glen Ullin, North Dakota. He was born in Vienna and was a big supporter of building the dam.
Because it's one of the biggest bodies of water in the area, Lake Tschida is a very popular spot for outdoor activities. People love to go there for fishing, camping, and boating. The Heart Butte Reservoir State Game Management Area is also located along the southern shore of the lake. It's a great place to enjoy nature and see local wildlife.
