Chitwood
Chitwood is an earth dam located in DeKalb County, Alabama, built in 1966. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Chitwood
The primary purpose of Chitwood is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Winford Chitwood (private). It impounds the Brown Branch near Guest.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 557 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 162 acre-feet. Completed in 1966, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 Alabama 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 | Alabama |
| County | DeKalb |
| Nearest City | Guest |
| River/Stream | Brown Branch |
| Coordinates | 34.45025, -85.87995 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 557 ft |
| Year Completed | 1966 (60 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 162 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 162 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 71 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 1,038 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | WINFORD CHITWOOD |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01219 |
| Federal ID | AL01219 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |