Lower Yarbrough Lake Dam
Lower Yarbrough Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Georgia, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Lower Yarbrough Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Lower Yarbrough Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Thompson, Barbara S. (private). It impounds the Unknown near Sandersville Environs.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 1,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 136 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 420 square miles. Completed in 1960, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/07/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
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 Georgia 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.
Location
| State | Georgia |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | Sandersville Environs |
| River/Stream | Unknown |
| Coordinates | 32.97978, -82.77614 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,700 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 136 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 136 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 103 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 420 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Thompson, Barbara S. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/07/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA00315 |
| Federal ID | GA00315 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |