Loch Highland Upper Lake Dam

About Loch Highland Upper Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Loch Highland Upper Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Loch Highland Homeowners Association (private). It impounds the Unknown.

The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 421 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 330 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1,708 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 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 02/09/2016. That was 10 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

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.

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