Tennants Farm Pond

About Tennants Farm Pond

The primary purpose of Tennants Farm Pond is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Jeff Minear (private). It impounds the Ut Laurel Fork near Tallyho.

The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 175 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 42 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1953, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/28/2016. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

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.