Buffalo Lake Dam
Buffalo Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Harrison County, West Virginia, built in 1956. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Buffalo Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Buffalo Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Buffalo Lake Development Llc (private). It impounds the Buffalo Creek near Clarksburg.
The dam stands 50 feet tall and stretches 780 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 55 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,535 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 5 square miles. Completed in 1956, 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 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 10/31/2018. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 50 feet, this dam is taller than 93% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Harrison |
| Nearest City | Clarksburg |
| River/Stream | Buffalo Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.19944, -80.42361 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Height | 50 ft |
| Dam Length | 780 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,535 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,535 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 927 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 55 acres |
| Drainage Area | 5 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,000 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | BUFFALO LAKE DEVELOPMENT LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/31/2018 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV03305 |
| Federal ID | WV03305 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |