Cooley's Rift Dam
Cooley's Rift Dam is an earth dam located in Grundy County, Tennessee, built in 1999. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Cooley's Rift Dam
Cooley's Rift Dam is a dam in Grundy, Tennessee. The dam is owned by Cooley's Rift Homeowners Association (private). It impounds the Trussel Creek.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 48 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,104 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1999, the structure is 27 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/02/2024.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 84% of dams nationwide.
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 Tennessee 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 | Tennessee |
| County | Grundy |
| River/Stream | Trussel Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.23417, -85.87889 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Length | 500 ft |
| Year Completed | 1999 (27 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,104 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,104 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 653 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 48 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Cooley's Rift Homeowners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 07/02/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TN05114 |
| Federal ID | TN05114 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |