Rainbow Lake Dam
Rainbow Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Athens County, Ohio. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Rainbow Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Rainbow Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Rainbow Lake Of Athens County, Inc. (private). It impounds the Pratts Fork near Chester.
The dam stands 31 feet tall and stretches 342 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 312 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. 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 06/16/2022.
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Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Athens |
| Nearest City | Chester |
| River/Stream | Pratts Fork |
| Coordinates | 39.22500, -82.07667 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Length | 342 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 312 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 312 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 97 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,008 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Rainbow Lake of Athens County, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 06/16/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH00705 |
| Federal ID | OH00705 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |