Fort Yargo Lake State Park Dam
Fort Yargo Lake State Park Dam is an earth dam located in Barrow County, Georgia, built in 1964. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Fort Yargo Lake State Park Dam
The primary purpose of Fort Yargo Lake State Park Dam 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 Department Of Natural Resources, Parks & Historic Sites Division (state). It impounds the Marburg Creek near Winder.
The dam stands 49 feet tall and stretches 1,042 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 263 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,460 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 56 square miles. Completed in 1964, 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 01/19/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 49 feet, this dam is taller than 92% 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 | Barrow |
| Nearest City | Winder |
| River/Stream | Marburg Creek |
| Coordinates | 33.96210, -83.72460 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 49 ft |
| Dam Height | 49 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,042 ft |
| Year Completed | 1964 (62 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,460 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,460 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 3,120 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 263 acres |
| Drainage Area | 56 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Department of Natural Resources, Parks & Historic Sites Division |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/19/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA00604 |
| Federal ID | GA00604 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |