Lynch Dam

DU installed a water control structure and excavated a new emergency spillway in the Lynch Dam, during the Fall and Winter 2004/2005, to restore the wetland to it’s original elevation. These improvements will help alleviate future flooding problems and will allow for water level manipulations, which will greatly improve habitat conditions for breeding waterfowl and other waterbirds.

Lynch dam is a 13-acre Civilian Conservation Corps project built in 1930. The original project did not include a water control structure and abnormally high water levels in 1969 caused a breach in the levee and subsequently washed out the emergency spillway. Since the breach, the impoundment had operated at less than half of the original design capacity and habitat for waterfowl and other wetland dependent wildlife had significantly decreased.

This project was a cooperative effort between many groups including Ducks Unlimited, the North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA), North Dakota State Water Commisssion, North Dakota Game and Fish Department, North Dakota Natural Resources Trust, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Finley Wildlife Club, City of Finley, Lake Agassiz Resource, Conservation and Development, Steele County Job Development and Steele County Water Resource District.