Muskingum River Lower Fly Ash Dam
Muskingum River Lower Fly Ash Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Ohio, built in 1968. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Muskingum River Lower Fly Ash Dam
The primary purpose of Muskingum River Lower Fly Ash Dam is tailings. Tailings dams contain waste material from mining operations — typically a slurry of finely ground rock left over after valuable minerals have been extracted. These structures require ongoing monitoring because tailings can contain heavy metals and other contaminants. The dam is owned by Muskingum River Development, Llc (public utility). It impounds the Tributary To Muskingum River near Beverly.
The dam stands 75 feet tall and stretches 1,600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 18 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 660 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1968, 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 10/19/2023.
At 75 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.
Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | Beverly |
| River/Stream | Tributary To Muskingum River |
| Coordinates | 39.58583, -81.68833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 75 ft |
| Dam Height | 75 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,600 ft |
| Year Completed | 1968 (58 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 660 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 660 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 340 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 436 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Tailings |
| Owner | Muskingum River Development, LLC |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/19/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH00973 |
| Federal ID | OH00973 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |