J.b. Converse Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in Mobile County, Alabama, built in 1952. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 75 ft75 ft tall and 5,000 ft long, taller than 97% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About J.b. Converse Reservoir Dam
The primary purpose of J.b. Converse Reservoir Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Mobile Area Water & Sewer System (local government). It impounds the Big Creek near Moss Point Mississippi.
The dam stands 75 feet tall and stretches 5,000 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 136,500 acre-feet. Completed in 1952, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
At 75 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.
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. Alabama is the only state with no dam safety program, so there is no state office to contact about this structure; the federal record above is what exists. ASDSO's page on Alabama explains the gap.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Alabama |
| County | Mobile |
| Nearest City | Moss Point Mississippi |
| River/Stream | Big Creek |
| Coordinates | 30.71223, -88.33969 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 75 ft |
| Dam Length | 5,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1952 (74 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 136,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 136,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 105,000 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 35,000 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner | Mobile Area Water & Sewer System |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL00017 |
| Federal ID | AL00017 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |