Des Islet Dam
Des Islet Dam is an earth dam located in Union County, Kentucky, built in 1945. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Des Islet Dam
The primary purpose of Des Islet Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Commonwealth Of Kentucky (state). It impounds the Highland Creek near Uniontown.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 900 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 83 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1945, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 07/17/2025.
At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Union |
| Nearest City | Uniontown |
| River/Stream | Highland Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.62281, -87.85519 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 900 ft |
| Year Completed | 1945 (81 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,300 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,300 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 670 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 83 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 07/17/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00001 |
| Federal ID | KY00001 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |