Dream Lake Dam Number Three

Dream Lake Dam Number Three is an earth dam located in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, built in 1970. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planNone on file
Last inspectionNot reported
Height26 ft
Built197056 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 26 ft
26 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

26 ft tall and 640 ft long, taller than 55% 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 Dream Lake Dam Number Three

The primary purpose of Dream Lake Dam Number Three is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Resort Developers Inc (private). It impounds the Rockcastle Creek near Abernant.

The dam stands 26 feet tall and stretches 640 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 1,400 acre-feet. Completed in 1970, 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. 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
CountyTuscaloosa
Nearest CityAbernant
River/StreamRockcastle Creek
Coordinates33.29135, -87.14790

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height26 ft
Dam Length640 ft
Year Completed1970 (56 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage1,400 acre-ft
Max Storage1,400 acre-ft
Normal Storage530 acre-ft
Max Discharge4,300 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerResort Developers Inc
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot assessed
Emergency Action PlanNo

Identifiers

NID IDAL01122
Federal IDAL01122
More InfoASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program)