Robert Free Pond #1 is an earth dam located in Dallas County, Alabama, built in 1997. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 11 ft11 ft tall and 1,100 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 Robert Free Pond #1
The primary purpose of Robert Free Pond #1 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 Robert Free (private). It impounds the Big Swamp Creek near Orrville.
The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 1,100 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 91 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1997, the structure is 29 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 | Dallas |
| Nearest City | Orrville |
| River/Stream | Big Swamp Creek |
| Coordinates | 32.33472, -87.17500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,100 ft |
| Year Completed | 1997 (29 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 42 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 0 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fish and Wildlife Pond |
| Owner | Robert Free |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL02526 |
| Federal ID | AL02526 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |