Birmingham Water Service Lake 2

About Birmingham Water Service Lake 2

The primary purpose of Birmingham Water Service Lake 2 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 Birmingham Water Service (private). It impounds the Tr-little Shades Creek near Mountain Brook/vestavia Hills.

The dam stands 41 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 19 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 356 acre-feet.

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 41 feet, this dam is taller than 88% 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.