Black Rock Mountain State Park Lake Dam
Black Rock Mountain State Park Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Rabun County, Georgia, built in 1974. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Black Rock Mountain State Park Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Black Rock 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 Parks & Historic Sites Division (state). It impounds the Taylor Creek near Mountain City.
The dam stands 72 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 16 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 921 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 889 square miles. Completed in 1974, 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 02/02/2021.
At 72 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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 | Rabun |
| Nearest City | Mountain City |
| River/Stream | Taylor Creek |
| Coordinates | 34.92384, -83.41216 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 72 ft |
| Dam Height | 72 ft |
| Dam Length | 400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1974 (52 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 921 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 921 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 386 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 16 acres |
| Drainage Area | 889 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Parks & Historic Sites Division |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 02/02/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA02070 |
| Federal ID | GA02070 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |