Echo Lake is an earth dam located in Jefferson County, Alabama, built in 1956. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 36 ft36 ft tall and 270 ft long, taller than 82% 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 Echo Lake
The primary purpose of Echo Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Echo Lake Land Corp (private). It impounds the Cahaba River Source near Clay.
The dam stands 36 feet tall and stretches 270 feet across, and has a maximum storage capacity of 884 acre-feet. Completed in 1956, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 36 feet, this dam is taller than 82% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Alabama |
| County | Jefferson |
| Nearest City | Clay |
| River/Stream | Cahaba River Source |
| Coordinates | 33.72500, -86.54500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 36 ft |
| Dam Length | 270 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 884 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 884 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 756 acre-ft |
| Max Discharge | 548 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Echo Lake Land Corp |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01280 |
| Federal ID | AL01280 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |