Melody Lake Dam
Melody Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Newton County, Georgia, built in 1950. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Melody Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Melody Lake Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Melody Lake Association, Inc. (private). It impounds the Wrights Creek.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 1,840 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 30 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 506 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 280 square miles. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 03/01/2017. 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 | Newton |
| River/Stream | Wrights Creek |
| Coordinates | 33.59028, -83.77278 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,840 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 506 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 506 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 262 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 30 acres |
| Drainage Area | 280 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond |
| Owner | Melody Lake Association, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/01/2017 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA05153 |
| Federal ID | GA05153 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |