Boone Dam
Boone Dam is a concrete dam located in Washington County, Tennessee, built in 1952. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Boone Dam
The primary purpose of Boone Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Tva (federal). It impounds the South Fork Holston River near Kingsport.
The dam stands 160 feet tall and stretches 1,532 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4,130 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 216,147 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,840 square miles. Completed in 1952, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/04/2024.
At 160 feet, this dam is taller than 99% 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 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 | Washington |
| Nearest City | Kingsport |
| River/Stream | South Fork Holston River |
| Coordinates | 36.44024, -82.43811 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 160 ft |
| Dam Height | 160 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,532 ft |
| Year Completed | 1952 (74 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 216,147 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 216,147 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 180,453 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4,130 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,840 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 168,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | TVA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 12/04/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TN16306 |
| Federal ID | TN16306 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |