Lake in the Woods is an earth dam located in Jefferson County, Alabama, built in 1950. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 540 ft long, taller than 86% 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 Lake in the Woods
The primary purpose of Lake in the Woods is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Highland Lake Land Co (private). It impounds the Cahaba River Source near Clay.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 540 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 670 acre-feet. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Alabama |
| County | Jefferson |
| Nearest City | Clay |
| River/Stream | Cahaba River Source |
| Coordinates | 33.71000, -86.56667 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 540 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 670 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 670 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 580 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 108 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Highland Lake Land Co |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01279 |
| Federal ID | AL01279 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |