Dream Lake Dam Number One

Dream Lake Dam Number One is an earth dam located in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionNot assessed
Emergency action planNone on file
Last inspectionNot reported
Height29 ft
Built196561 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 29 ft
29 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

29 ft tall and 270 ft long, taller than 65% 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 One

The primary purpose of Dream Lake Dam Number One 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 29 feet tall and stretches 270 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 372 acre-feet. Completed in 1965, 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
Coordinates33.27500, -87.14000

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height29 ft
Dam Length270 ft
Year Completed1965 (61 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage372 acre-ft
Max Storage372 acre-ft
Normal Storage218 acre-ft
Max Discharge700 cfs

Ownership & Safety

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

Identifiers

NID IDAL01123
Federal IDAL01123
More InfoASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program)