Glen Elder Dam

Overview
The Solomon River has carved a broad U-shaped valley into flat-lying Cretaceous-aged sedimentary rocks at the site of Glen Elder Dam.  The valley walls which serve as abutments for the dam are composed of limestone and shales primarily of Greenhorn Limestone; the upper portion of abutments are chalky shale and limestones of the Carlile Shale.  The upper surface of these rocks are weathered to depths of 20 to 30 feet; near vertical joints are common.  A thin 10 to 20-foot mantle of loessal silts and clays with some sand forms the upper surface of the left abutment.  A near vertical bluff of limestone and shale, which was formed by downcutting of the river and excavation for the railroad line, is the inner edge of the left abutment.  Ten to 20 feet of eolian silt and clay also cap the Carlile Shale and Greenhorn Limestone of the right abutment.  The inner portion of the right abutment is a 40 to 60 foot thick terrace deposit primarily of silt and clay with 10+ feet of sand at its base and lying on Greenhorn Limestone.  The center section of the valley floor has a width of 7,000 feet and is underlain by 30 to 60 feet of unconsolidated alluvium on silts, clays and sand.  Silts and clays comprise the upper two thirds to three fourths of the alluvium with the lower one fourth to one third consisting of silty and poorly graded sands.  Prior to deposition of these sediments, the downcutting and scouring action had removed weathered bedrock and as a result, these sediments rest on unweathered Graneros Shale.

General
RegionFacilities in Great Plains | Great Plains Home Page
StateKansas
CountyMitchell
ProjectPSMBP - Glen Elder
Dam Type
ReservoirWaconda Lake
WatercourseSolomon River
Location
Longitude-98.3133
Latitude39.4967
Original Construction1963-1969
Modified Construction
National ID NumberKS00021
Hydrologic Unit Code

Dimensions
Structural Height142.0 ft
Hydraulic Height (Normal Operating Depth at Dam)107.9 ft
Top Parapet (Elevation)
Spillway Crest Elevation1467.4 ft
Crest Elevation1500.0 ft
Crest Length15275.0 ft
Crest Width
Base Width
Volume of Dam Construction Materials
Streambed at Dam Axis1455.6 ft
Top of Exclusive Flood Control Pool (Elevation)
Top of Joint Use Pool (Elevation)
Top of Active Conservation Pool (Elevation)1455.6 ft
Top of Inactive Conservation Pool (Elevation)1428.0 ft
Top of Dead Storage Pool (Elevation)1407.8 ft

Hydraulics & Hydrology
Volume
Total Water Storage at Elevation
Maximum Water Surface Elevation
Normal Water Surface Elevation1455.6 ft
Spillway Type
Auxiliary SpillwayNo
Spillway Capacity at Elevation278000.0 cfs at 1492.9 ft
Auxiliary Spillway Capacity at Elevation
Uncontrolled Spillway Capacity at Elevation
Outlet Works Capacity at Elevation130.0 cfs at 1425.0 ft
Diversion Capacity at Elevation
Drainage Area4945.0 sq mi
Hydrometeorological Report (HMR)HMR
Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) Report

Contact Information
Owner
TitleArea Office Manager
OrganizationNebraska-Kansas Area Office
Address1706 West Third
CityMcCook, NE 69001
Phone (Office)308-345-4400
Phone (Fax)308-345-6470
Operator
TitleArea Office Manager
OrganizationNebraska-Kansas Area Office
Address1706 West Third
CityMcCook, NE 69001
Phone (Office)308-345-4400
Phone (Fax)308-345-6470


Last updated: Mar 29, 2013