Wheeler Dam is a concrete dam located in Lauderdale County, Alabama, built in 1936. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 175 ft175 ft tall and 1,000 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 concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Wheeler Dam
The primary purpose of Wheeler Dam 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 TVA (federal). It impounds the Tennessee River near Florence.
The dam stands 175 feet tall and stretches 1,000 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,220 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 228,045 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 232 square miles. Completed in 1936, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/29/2025.
At 175 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 | Lauderdale |
| Nearest City | Florence |
| River/Stream | Tennessee River |
| Coordinates | 34.80643, -87.38188 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 175 ft |
| Dam Height | 175 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,000 ft |
| Year Completed | 1936 (90 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 228,045 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 228,045 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 182,436 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3,220 acres |
| Drainage Area | 232 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 100,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Hydroelectric |
| Owner | TVA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/29/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | AL07701 |
| Federal ID | AL07701 |
| More Info | ASDSO on Alabama (no state dam safety program) |