Teton Dam

The Teton Dam was an earthen dam in the western United States, on the Teton River in eastern Idaho. It was built by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, one of eight federal agencies authorized to construct dams. Located between Fremont and Madison counties, it suffered a catastrophic failure on June 5, 1976, as it was filling for the first time.

Teton Dam
Dam failure on June 5, 1976
Location in the United States
Location in Idaho
Official nameTeton Dam
CountryUnited States
LocationFremont & Madison counties, Idaho
Coordinates43°54′35″N 111°32′21″W
PurposeFlood control, irrigation
Construction began1972 (1972)
Opening date1976 (1976)
Demolition dateJune 5, 1976 (1976-06-05) (failure)
Construction cost$48,825,000
($251 million in 2024)
Owner(s)U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment dam
ImpoundsTeton River
Height305 ft (93 m)
Length3,100 ft (940 m)
Width (base)1,700 ft (520 m)
Reservoir
CreatesTeton Reservoir
Total capacity288,250 acre-feet (355,550,000 m3)
Normal elevation5,320 ft (1,620 m) AMSL

The collapse of Teton Dam killed 11 people and 16,000 livestock. The dam cost about $100 million to build and the federal government paid over $300 million in claims related to its failure. Total damage estimates have ranged up to $2 billion, and the dam was not rebuilt.

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