Marion County Sportsmans Dam
Marion County Sportsmans Dam is an earth dam located in Marion County, Kentucky, built in 1953. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Marion County Sportsmans Dam
The primary purpose of Marion County Sportsmans 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 Rolling Fork near Calvary.
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 300 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 31 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 585 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1953, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 08/07/2025.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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 Kentucky 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 | Kentucky |
| County | Marion |
| Nearest City | Calvary |
| River/Stream | Rolling Fork |
| Coordinates | 37.51306, -85.24806 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 300 ft |
| Year Completed | 1953 (73 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 585 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 585 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 465 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 31 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/07/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00020 |
| Federal ID | KY00020 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |