Waites Dam is a rockfill dam located in Jackson County, Alabama, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 15 ft15 ft tall and 543 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic rockfill embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Waites Dam
The primary purpose of Waites Dam 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 Jack Waites (private). It impounds the Tr Tennessee River near Scottsboro.
The dam stands 15 feet tall and stretches 543 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 44 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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 | Jackson |
| Nearest City | Scottsboro |
| River/Stream | Tr Tennessee River |
| Coordinates | 34.64022, -85.94526 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Height | 15 ft |
| Dam Length | 543 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 44 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 44 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 420 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | Jack Waites |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01753 |
| Federal ID | AL01753 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |