Petit Lake Dam
Petit Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Pickens County, Georgia, built in 1972. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Petit Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Petit Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Big Canoe Corporation (private). It impounds the Petit Creek near Jasper.
The dam stands 126 feet tall and stretches 908 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 105 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 7,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,000 square miles. Completed in 1972, 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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/25/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 126 feet, this dam is taller than 98% 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 | Pickens |
| Nearest City | Jasper |
| River/Stream | Petit Creek |
| Coordinates | 34.46250, -84.29028 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 126 ft |
| Dam Height | 126 ft |
| Dam Length | 908 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 7,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 4,600 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 105 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1,000 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Big Canoe Corporation |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/25/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA00685 |
| Federal ID | GA00685 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |