Salerno Dam
Salerno Dam is an earth dam located in Harrison County, West Virginia, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Salerno Dam
The primary purpose of Salerno Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Mary Rose And Joe Salerno (private). It impounds the Up Bingamon Ck near Pine Bluff.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 190 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 20 acre-feet. Completed in 1965, 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 | Pine Bluff |
| River/Stream | Up Bingamon Ck |
| Coordinates | 39.42139, -80.33778 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 190 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 20 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 20 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 5 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | MARY ROSE AND JOE SALERNO |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV03324 |
| Federal ID | WV03324 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |