Etowah River Reach Sub Ws Str # 12

About Etowah River Reach Sub Ws Str # 12

The primary purpose of Etowah River Reach Sub Ws Str # 12 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 Upper Chattahoochee River Swcd (state). It impounds the Palmer Creek near Dawsonville.

The dam stands 63 feet tall and stretches 690 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 977 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2,744 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 03/28/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

At 63 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

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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