Little New River W/s Dam Site 3 is an earth dam located in Marion County, Alabama, built in 1960. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 39 ft39 ft tall and 1,240 ft long, taller than 85% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Little New River W/s Dam Site 3
The primary purpose of Little New River W/s Dam Site 3 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Marion County Commission (local government). It impounds the Little New River near Brilliant.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 1,240 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 24 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,380 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 03/09/2004. That was over 22 years ago.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Alabama |
| County | Marion |
| Nearest City | Brilliant |
| River/Stream | Little New River |
| Coordinates | 34.04150, -87.73833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,240 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,380 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,380 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 131 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 24 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 715 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Marion County Commission |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 03/09/2004 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL00138 |
| Federal ID | AL00138 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |