Lake Darling Dam is an earthen

embankment dam An embankment dam is a large artificial dam. It is typically created by the placement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil or rock. It has a semi-pervious waterproof natural covering for its surface and ...

on the

Souris River The Souris River (; french: rivière Souris) or Mouse River (as it is alternatively known in the U.S., a calque of its French name) is a river in central North America. It is about in length and drains about . It rises in the Yellow Grass Mar ...

in the west north central

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

, located northwest of Minot in Ward County,

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, S ...

. The dam began impounding water in April 1936 and was completed July of that year; it was created for the purposes of water storage and conservation. It is part of the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge and is owned by the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

. The dam and lake are named after Jay N. "Ding" Darling, the first director of the

Bureau of Biological Survey The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with oth ...

. Although the dam is located in Ward County, Lake Darling is almost entirely located in Renville County, to its north. The Fish and Wildlife Service owns and operates the dam during normal conditions. During flood conditions operational control is turned over to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers according to a 1989 memorandum of understanding. During the 2011 Souris River flood, the dam's reservoir reached maximum levels and releases of in early June, contributing to flooding downstream. By June 26, releases had reached and were incrementally reduced thereafter.

References

{{authority control Dams in North Dakota Earth-filled dams Dams completed in 1936 Buildings and structures in Ward County, North Dakota United States Army Corps of Engineers dams Bodies of water of Renville County, North Dakota

Darling Darling is a term of endearment of Old English origin. Darling or Darlin' or Darlings may also refer to: People * Darling (surname) * Darling Jimenez (born 1980), American boxer * Darling Légitimus (1907–1999), French actress Places Austral ...

Souris River

See also

References