Sharp Mountain Creek Ws Structure No 5
Sharp Mountain Creek Ws Structure No 5 is an earth dam located in Cherokee County, Georgia, built in 1957. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Sharp Mountain Creek Ws Structure No 5
The primary purpose of Sharp Mountain Creek Ws Structure No 5 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Limestone Valley Soil & Water Conservation District (state). It impounds the Unknown near Canton.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 253 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 274 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,000 square miles. Completed in 1957, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/31/2023.
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 Georgia 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 | Georgia |
| County | Cherokee |
| Nearest City | Canton |
| River/Stream | Unknown |
| Coordinates | 34.35297, -84.47789 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 253 ft |
| Year Completed | 1957 (69 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 274 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 274 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 86 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,000 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 274 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Limestone Valley Soil & Water Conservation District |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 01/31/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA00029 |
| Federal ID | GA00029 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |