Joy West Lake Dam
Joy West Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Clayton County, Georgia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Joy West Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Joy West Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Belmont Georgia Limited Partnership (private). It impounds the Beaverdam Creek near Kenwood.
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 580 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 133 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 525 square miles.
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 01/10/2017. 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 | Clayton |
| Nearest City | Kenwood |
| River/Stream | Beaverdam Creek |
| Coordinates | 33.53411, -84.40614 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 580 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 133 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 133 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 78 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 10 acres |
| Drainage Area | 525 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Belmont Georgia Limited Partnership |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/10/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA01291 |
| Federal ID | GA01291 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |