Melvin Stinson Lake Dam
Melvin Stinson Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Todd County, Kentucky, built in 1958. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Melvin Stinson Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Melvin Stinson Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Elkton (local government). It impounds the Elk Fork near Elkton.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 430 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 490 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1958, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. The most recent inspection on record was 04/30/2025.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 86% 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 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 | Todd |
| Nearest City | Elkton |
| River/Stream | Elk Fork |
| Coordinates | 36.83972, -87.15194 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 430 ft |
| Year Completed | 1958 (68 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 490 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 490 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 250 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | CITY OF ELKTON |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/30/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00194 |
| Federal ID | KY00194 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |