Sterling On The Lake Dam #1

About Sterling On The Lake Dam #1

The primary purpose of Sterling On The Lake Dam #1 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Sterling On The Lake Community Association, Inc. (private). It impounds the Lollis Creek near Gainesville.

The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 805 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 41 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 452 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2,470 square miles. Completed in 1955, 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 03/09/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

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.

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