Beaver Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Anderson County, Kentucky, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 60 ft60 ft tall and 690 ft long, taller than 95% 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 Beaver Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Beaver Lake 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 Beaver Creek near Sinai.
The dam stands 60 feet tall and stretches 690 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 158 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,550 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 01/30/2025.
At 60 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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 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 | Anderson |
| Nearest City | Sinai |
| River/Stream | Beaver Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.96192, -85.02256 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Height | 60 ft |
| Dam Length | 690 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,550 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,550 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,641 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 158 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Commonwealth of Kentucky |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 01/30/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00052 |
| Federal ID | KY00052 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |