Friendship Park Lake Dam
Friendship Park Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Jefferson County, Ohio, built in 1972. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Friendship Park Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Friendship Park Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Jefferson County - Friendship Park (local government). It impounds the Little Mcintyre Creek near Weems.
The dam stands 94 feet tall and stretches 894 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 84 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,884 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1972, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 06/13/2024.
At 94 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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.
Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Jefferson |
| Nearest City | Weems |
| River/Stream | Little Mcintyre Creek |
| Coordinates | 40.28417, -80.77028 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 94 ft |
| Dam Height | 94 ft |
| Dam Length | 894 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,884 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,884 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,238 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 84 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,530 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Jefferson County - Friendship Park |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/13/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH00123 |
| Federal ID | OH00123 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |