Walter Bouldin Saddle Dike is a dam located in Elmore County, Alabama, built in 1967. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 10 ft10 ft tall and 1,000 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 Walter Bouldin Saddle Dike
The primary purpose of Walter Bouldin Saddle Dike is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Alabama Power Company (public utility). It impounds the Coosa River.
The dam stands 10 feet tall and stretches 1,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 920 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 48,000 acre-feet. Completed in 1967, 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. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/05/2023.
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
| State | Alabama |
| County | Elmore |
| River/Stream | Coosa River |
| Coordinates | 32.60858, -86.27157 |
Physical Characteristics
| NID Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Height | 10 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 48,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 48,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 48,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 920 acres |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | Alabama Power Company |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/05/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01419 |
| Federal ID | AL01419S002 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |