Lake Connell
Lake Connell is a concrete dam located in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Lake Connell
The primary purpose of Lake Connell is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Power Systems And Supplies Of Alaska Llc (private). It impounds the Ward Creek.
The dam stands 96 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 320 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 11,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 12 square miles. Completed in 1953, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/12/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 96 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Alaska dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Alaska |
| County | Ketchikan Gateway Borough |
| River/Stream | Ward Creek |
| Coordinates | 55.43333, -131.66990 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 96 ft |
| Dam Height | 96 ft |
| Dam Length | 600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 11,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 11,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 6,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 320 acres |
| Drainage Area | 12 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 18,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | POWER SYSTEMS AND SUPPLIES OF ALASKA LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/12/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AK00010 |
| Federal ID | AK00010 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |