Irene Lake Dam

Irene Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Fulton County, Georgia, built in 1967. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

About Irene Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Irene Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Schwartz, Harry (private). It impounds the Rocky Creek near Mountain Park.

The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 148 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 10 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 153 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 196 square miles. Completed in 1967, 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 01/31/2017. That was 9 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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.

High HazardPoor ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateGeorgia
CountyFulton
Nearest CityMountain Park
River/StreamRocky Creek
Coordinates34.08519, -84.38695

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height32 ft
Dam Height32 ft
Dam Length148 ft
Year Completed1967 (59 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage153 acre-ft
Max Storage153 acre-ft
Normal Storage77 acre-ft
Surface Area10 acres
Drainage Area196 sq mi
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerSchwartz, Harry
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection01/31/2017
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDGA01912
Federal IDGA01912
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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