Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake is an other dam located in Autauga County, Alabama, built in 1941. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planNone on file
Last inspectionNot reported
Height18 ft
Built194185 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 18 ft
18 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

18 ft tall and 385 ft long. 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 Crystal Lake

The primary purpose of Crystal Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Ercille W Pearson (private). It impounds the Whitewater Creek near Autaugaville.

The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 385 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet. Completed in 1941, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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. 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

StateAlabama
CountyAutauga
Nearest CityAutaugaville
River/StreamWhitewater Creek
Coordinates32.43577, -86.64093

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeOther
NID Height18 ft
Dam Length385 ft
Year Completed1941 (85 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage50 acre-ft
Max Storage50 acre-ft
Normal Storage50 acre-ft
Max Discharge1,620 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerErcille W Pearson
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Emergency Action PlanNo

Identifiers

NID IDAL00898
Federal IDAL00898
More InfoASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program)