Braxton Moody Dam No. 1

About Braxton Moody Dam No. 1

The primary purpose of Braxton Moody Dam No. 1 is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Braxton Moody Iv (private). It impounds the Gales Creek near Hollywood.

The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 1,010 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 30 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 450 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.

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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/11/2023.

At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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 Louisiana dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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