Lake Melaken
Lake Melaken is an earth dam located in Shelby County, Alabama, built in 1959. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Lake Melaken
The primary purpose of Lake Melaken is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ken Peeler (private). It impounds the Trib To Hogpen Cr near Pelham,al.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 530 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 210 acre-feet. Completed in 1959, 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.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.
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 | Shelby |
| Nearest City | Pelham,al |
| River/Stream | Trib To Hogpen Cr |
| Coordinates | 33.29500, -86.78833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 530 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 210 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 210 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 2,375 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | KEN PEELER |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01461 |
| Federal ID | AL01461 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |