Dawson Dam

About Dawson Dam

The primary purpose of Dawson Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dawson Lake Llc (private). It impounds the Callahan Branch near Rupert.

The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 516 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 29 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 551 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 235 square miles. Completed in 2009, the structure is relatively new.

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 05/31/2024.

At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% 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 West Virginia dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

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