Lewis Smith is a rockfill dam located in Walker County, Alabama, built in 1961. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 300 ft300 ft tall and 2,200 ft long, taller than 99% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against the Statue of Liberty, 305 ft ground to torch; the profile is a generic rockfill embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Lewis Smith
The primary purpose of Lewis Smith 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 Sipsey Fork, Warrior River near Sipsey.
The dam stands 300 feet tall and stretches 2,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 21,200 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,670,600 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 944 square miles. Completed in 1961, 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 03/23/2022.
At 300 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Walker |
| Nearest City | Sipsey |
| River/Stream | Sipsey Fork, Warrior River |
| Coordinates | 33.94214, -87.10650 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 300 ft |
| Dam Height | 300 ft |
| Dam Length | 2,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1961 (65 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,670,600 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,670,600 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,390,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 21,200 acres |
| Drainage Area | 944 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 317,800 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | Alabama Power Company |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/23/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01420 |
| Federal ID | AL01420 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |