Fort Mountain State Park Lake Dam
Fort Mountain State Park Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Murray County, Georgia, built in 1938. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Fort Mountain State Park Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Fort Mountain State Park Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Georgia Department Of Natural Resources (state). It impounds the Goldmine Branch near Rock Creek Community.
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 211 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 326 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 03/09/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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 | Murray |
| Nearest City | Rock Creek Community |
| River/Stream | Goldmine Branch |
| Coordinates | 34.75797, -84.71050 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1938 (88 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 211 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 211 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Drainage Area | 326 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Georgia Department of Natural Resources |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/09/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA00708 |
| Federal ID | GA00708 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |