Guist Creek Lake Dam
Guist Creek Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Shelby County, Kentucky, built in 1961. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Guist Creek Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Guist Creek Lake Dam 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 Commonwealth Of Kentucky (state). It impounds the Guist Creek near Rivals.
The dam stands 60 feet tall and stretches 1,060 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 333 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 13,944 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 29 square miles. Completed in 1961, 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 01/30/2025.
At 60 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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 Kentucky 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 | Kentucky |
| County | Shelby |
| Nearest City | Rivals |
| River/Stream | Guist Creek |
| Coordinates | 38.20722, -85.15833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,060 ft |
| Year Completed | 1961 (65 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 13,944 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 13,944 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,724 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 333 acres |
| Drainage Area | 29 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 01/30/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00040 |
| Federal ID | KY00040 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |