Hightower Creek Ws Str # 13 is an earth dam located in Towns County, Georgia, built in 1960. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 75 ft75 ft tall and 415 ft long, taller than 97% 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 Hightower Creek Ws Str # 13
The primary purpose of Hightower Creek Ws Str # 13 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 Blue Ridge Mountain Swcd;towns County (state). It impounds the Hightower Creek near Pleasant Hill Community.
The dam stands 75 feet tall and stretches 415 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 453 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,000 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/16/2016. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
At 75 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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. 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 | Towns |
| Nearest City | Pleasant Hill Community |
| River/Stream | Hightower Creek |
| Coordinates | 34.96709, -83.60418 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 75 ft |
| Dam Height | 75 ft |
| Dam Length | 415 ft |
| Year Completed | 1960 (66 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 453 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 453 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 24 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,000 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Blue Ridge Mountain Swcd;towns County |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/16/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA00641 |
| Federal ID | GA00641 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |