John Mcshan Number One

John Mcshan Number One is an earth dam located in Pickens County, Alabama, built in 1952. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About John Mcshan Number One

The primary purpose of John Mcshan Number One is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by John T.mcshan (private). It impounds the Tr Fire Creek near Melrose.

The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 990 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 1,342 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.

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 Alabama 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.

High HazardNot Rated ConditionEmergency Action Plan: No

Location

StateAlabama
CountyPickens
Nearest CityMelrose
River/StreamTr Fire Creek
Coordinates33.40365, -88.11811

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height20 ft
Dam Length990 ft
Year Completed1952 (74 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage1,342 acre-ft
Max Storage1,342 acre-ft
Normal Storage1,138 acre-ft
Max Discharge127 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerJOHN T.MCSHAN
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Rated
Emergency Action PlanNo

Identifiers

NID IDAL00164
Federal IDAL00164
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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