Name: Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir

County: Natrona

Authority Name: Pathfinder Dam (Wyo.), Pathfinder Reservoir (Wyo.)

GNIS Entry (Dam)

GNIS Entry (Reservoir)

Longitude:  1065114W (Dam)

Longitude:  1065114W (Reservoir)

Latitude: 422805N (Dam)

Latitude: 422748N (Reservoir)

Legal Description:

Elevation: 5846/1782 (Dam)

Elevation: 5846/1782 (Reservoir)

(ft/m)

Feature Type: Dam and Reservoir 

Origin of Name:

The system was named "Pathfinder" in honor of General John C. Fremont, the great explorer, who made the Platte valley, in what is now Wyoming, the scene of his most interesting travels and investigations, and it was at about where the dam is located that Fremont's boats capsized. The Astorians gave this canyon the name of "Fiery Narrows."  

Source: WPA

The Pathfinder Reservoir is formed by an arch dam located about fifty miles southwest of Casper on the North Platte River. The dam is built of uncoursed cyclopean granite masonry, except the faces, which are laid in two and three courses. The height is 214 feet above the river bed. It is 432 feet long, 10 feet wide on top and 90 feet wide on the bottom. A spillway about six hundred and sixty feet long is cut in the granite north of the dam. Its central is effected by six cylindrical valves each fifty eight inches in diameter operated by balancing water pressures and four cast iron sliding gates discharging into outlet tunnels through the south and north canyon walls, respectively. The cost of the construction of the dam and controlling works was $1,409,000. It impounds 1,025,000 acre-feet. The water stored, together with the natural flow of the North Platte River is used to irrigate lands on both sides of the river in Wyoming and Nebraska.

Source: WPA

Other Names: 

Alternative Spellings:

History:

Stories:

Maps:

1:24000 Quadrangle: Pathfinder Dam

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