Fort Randall Dam
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The Fort Randall 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 40,000 kilowatts 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). The reservoir has a surface area of 102,000 acres at maximum operating pool, coinciding with a volume of 5,700,000 acre-feet (7 billion m³).
The Fort Randall Dam is located in southeast South Dakota within sight of its namesake Fort Randall at (NAD83) by Pickstown, South Dakota; 12 miles west of Wagner, South Dakota, on South Dakota Highway 46; or 25 miles northeast of Spencer, Nebraska, on U.S. Highway 281.
[edit] References
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (July 29, 2004) Fort Randall Project homepage
| Crossings of the Missouri River | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Upstream Bridge SD 44 |
Fort Randall Dam  SD 46 |
Downstream Bridge  |
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