Buena Vista Lake Dam is an earth dam located in DeKalb County, Georgia. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 29 ft29 ft tall and 377 ft long, taller than 65% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Buena Vista Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Buena Vista Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dekalb County (local government). It impounds the U near Glenwood Hills.
The dam stands 29 feet tall and stretches 377 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 60 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 334 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 03/19/2019. That was 7 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 | DeKalb |
| Nearest City | Glenwood Hills |
| River/Stream | U |
| Coordinates | 33.73203, -84.29563 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Height | 29 ft |
| Dam Length | 377 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 60 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 51 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Drainage Area | 334 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Dekalb County |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/19/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA01333 |
| Federal ID | GA01333 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |