Howell Heflin Lock and Dam is a gravity dam located in Greene County, Alabama, built in 1978. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 56 ft56 ft tall and 816 ft long, taller than 94% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Howell Heflin Lock and Dam
The primary purpose of Howell Heflin Lock and Dam is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by USACE - Mobile District (federal). It impounds the Tombigbee near Gainesville.
The dam stands 56 feet tall and stretches 816 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6,400 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 58,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 7,212 square miles. Completed in 1978, the structure is 48 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/14/2020.
At 56 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Alabama |
| County | Greene |
| Nearest City | Gainesville |
| River/Stream | Tombigbee |
| Coordinates | 32.84873, -88.15656 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 56 ft |
| Dam Length | 816 ft |
| Year Completed | 1978 (48 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 58,000 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 58,000 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 45,290 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 6,400 acres |
| Drainage Area | 7,212 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 225,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | USACE - Mobile District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/14/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL01980 |
| Federal ID | AL01980 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |