Leesville Dam

Leesville Dam is an earth dam located in Carroll County, Ohio, built in 1937. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Leesville Dam

The primary purpose of Leesville 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 Usace - Huntington District (federal). It impounds the Mcguire Creek near Sherrodville.

The dam stands 74 feet tall and stretches 1,695 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,000 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 37,400 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 48 square miles. Completed in 1937, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/27/2023.

At 74 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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 Ohio 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.

High HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateOhio
CountyCarroll
Nearest CitySherrodville
River/StreamMcguire Creek
Coordinates40.46914, -81.19467

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height74 ft
Dam Length1,695 ft
Year Completed1937 (89 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage37,400 acre-ft
Max Storage37,400 acre-ft
Normal Storage19,500 acre-ft
Surface Area1,000 acres
Drainage Area48 sq mi
Max Discharge19,700 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerUSACE - Huntington District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection04/27/2023
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDOH00014
Federal IDOH00014
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

Nearby Dams