Ridgewood Lake Dam
Ridgewood Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Medina County, Ohio, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Ridgewood Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Ridgewood Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by David L. Poling (private). It impounds the Yellow Creek near Ghent.
The dam stands 12 feet tall and stretches 890 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/04/2021.
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 | Medina |
| Nearest City | Ghent |
| River/Stream | Yellow Creek |
| Coordinates | 41.12806, -81.68917 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Height | 12 ft |
| Dam Length | 890 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 22 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 898 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | David L. Poling |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 11/04/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH02713 |
| Federal ID | OH02713 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |