Anawalt Lake Dam
Anawalt Lake Dam is an earth dam located in McDowell County, West Virginia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Anawalt Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Anawalt Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Wvdnr, Wildlife Resources (state). It impounds the Millseat Branch near Anawalt.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 1,820 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 116 acre-feet.
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 01/31/2026.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% 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 | McDowell |
| Nearest City | Anawalt |
| River/Stream | Millseat Branch |
| Coordinates | 37.31750, -81.42361 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,820 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 116 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 116 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 87 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 2,558 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | WVDNR, WILDLIFE RESOURCES |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/31/2026 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV04727 |
| Federal ID | WV04727 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |