Lake Buena Vista Dam

About Lake Buena Vista Dam

The primary purpose of Lake Buena Vista Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Lake Buena Vista Property Owners (private). It impounds the Trib-flat Branch.

The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 130 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 33 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1978, the structure is 48 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 04/02/2025.

At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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.

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