Tank Pond Dam

About Tank Pond Dam

The primary purpose of Tank Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Kim Gilliam (private). It impounds the Chaplin Creek near Perryville.

The dam stands 29 feet tall and stretches 394 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 166 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. The most recent inspection on record was 11/15/2024.

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.

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