Lake Osborn

About Lake Osborn

The primary purpose of Lake Osborn is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dustin & Christopher Osborn (private). It impounds the Tr-big Creek near Columbia.

The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 595 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 24 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 238 acre-feet.

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. The Alabama dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.