Pactola Lake

Pactola Lake
Location of Pactola Lake in South Dakota, USA.
Location of Pactola Lake in South Dakota, USA.
Pactola Lake
Location of Pactola Lake in South Dakota, USA.
Location of Pactola Lake in South Dakota, USA.
Pactola Lake
LocationPennington County, South Dakota
Coordinates44°04′23″N 103°29′35″W / 44.073°N 103.493°W / 44.073; -103.493
Typereservoir
Surface area800 acres (3.2 km2)[1]
Average depth55 ft (17 m)
Max. depth150 ft (46 m)[1]
Water volume54,000 to 94,000 acre⋅ft (67 to 116 hm3)
Shore length114 mi (23 km)[1]
Surface elevation4,655 ft (1,419 m) above sea level at the top of the spillway
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure.

Pactola Lake is the largest and deepest reservoir in the Black Hills, located 15 miles west of Rapid City, South Dakota, United States. Constructed in 1952, the dam and waters are managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, with the surrounding land managed by the US Forest Service as part of Black Hills National Forest, which operates a visitor center located on the south side of the dam.[2] Facilities include campgrounds, hiking trails, picnic areas, cliffs, and a beach.[1][3]

  1. ^ a b c d "Pactola Reservoir Complex". United States Forest Service. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  2. ^ Wesolick, Eric (June 6, 2024). "South Dakota Tribes tell their story at Pactola". KOTA TV. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  3. ^ "Pactola Dam & Reservoir Flood Control, Irrigation & Recreation". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved August 27, 2022.