Norman Fountain is an earth dam located in Jefferson County, Alabama, built in 1972. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 24 ft24 ft tall and 1,295 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 Norman Fountain
The primary purpose of Norman Fountain is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by Norman Fountain Est (private). It impounds the Tr-shades Creek near Tannehill State Park.
The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 1,295 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 28 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 343 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1972, 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
| State | Alabama |
| County | Jefferson |
| Nearest City | Tannehill State Park |
| River/Stream | Tr-shades Creek |
| Coordinates | 33.27625, -87.03833 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,295 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 343 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 343 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 221 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 28 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 400 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | Norman Fountain Est |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01508 |
| Federal ID | AL01508 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |