S-49 is an earth dam located in St. Lucie County, Florida, built in 1960. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 53 ft53 ft tall and 67 ft long, taller than 93% 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 embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About S-49
The primary purpose of S-49 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Sfwmd (local government). It impounds the C-23a & C-24 near Port St Lucie.
The dam stands 53 feet tall and stretches 67 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 65 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 3,420 acre-feet. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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. The most recent inspection on record was 07/08/1905. That was over 121 years ago.
At 53 feet, this dam is taller than 93% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Florida |
| County | St. Lucie |
| Nearest City | Port St Lucie |
| River/Stream | C-23a & C-24 |
| Coordinates | 27.26140, -80.35932 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 53 ft |
| Dam Height | 53 ft |
| Dam Length | 67 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,420 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,420 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,825 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 65 acres |
| Max Discharge | 4,680 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Sfwmd |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 07/08/1905 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | FL00414 |
| Federal ID | FL00414 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |