Virginia Smith Dam, Embankment dam in Garfield County, Nebraska, US.
Virginia Smith Dam is an earthen embankment dam that spans across the Calamus River with a height of about 96 feet. The structure controls water flow and stores water for irrigation throughout the surrounding agricultural area.
The dam was completed in 1985 by the United States Bureau of Reclamation as part of a larger water development program in the Missouri River basin. It was built to support irrigation needs for farming communities in the Great Plains.
The reservoir created by the dam serves as a gathering place where locals fish for walleye, white bass, and northern pike. It functions as a social hub for the surrounding rural community.
The reservoir is easily accessible from surrounding rural roads and has basic facilities for fishing along the shoreline. Visiting is best during warmer months when access roads are in good condition.
The reservoir stretches across approximately 31 miles of shoreline and extends beyond county boundaries into two different counties. This expansive water body is surprisingly large for such a sparsely populated area.
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