Berkeley Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Gwinnett County, Georgia, built in 1948. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 78 ft78 ft tall and 885 ft long, taller than 97% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Berkeley Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Berkeley Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City of Berkeley Lake (local government). It impounds the Unknown near Duluth.
The dam stands 78 feet tall and stretches 885 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 80 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,375 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 760 square miles. Completed in 1948, 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.
At 78 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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 | Gwinnett |
| Nearest City | Duluth |
| River/Stream | Unknown |
| Coordinates | 33.98885, -84.18676 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 78 ft |
| Dam Height | 78 ft |
| Dam Length | 885 ft |
| Year Completed | 1948 (78 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,375 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,375 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 80 acres |
| Drainage Area | 760 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | City of Berkeley Lake |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | GA05700 |
| Federal ID | GA05700 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |