Spencer Dam, Dam in Holt County, Nebraska, United States

Spencer Dam is a former hydroelectric dam on the Niobrara River in Holt County, Nebraska. The structure consists of a long concrete spillway with vertical piers and metal railings, and an earth embankment that extends to the south side of the valley.

Spencer Dam was built in 1927 and produced electricity for decades. It was damaged by an ice jam in 1935 and rebuilt in 1940, then failed completely in March 2019 after a severe storm.

The name Spencer comes from the nearby town and is still used for the dam site. Local people remember the dam as part of the river's history, and its failure is a story that is passed down in the community.

The dam site is in a rural area and can be reached by car, but there are no formal visitor facilities. The structure is not accessible to the public, so it is best viewed from a distance or from nearby roads.

The dam was designed to let sediment pass through by opening its gates twice a year, a practice that sometimes harmed fish. After the 2019 failure, the remaining structure was left in place, and the river now flows freely through the site.