Stearns Reservoir Dam is an earth dam located in McCreary County, Kentucky, built in 1920. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 35 ft35 ft tall and 1,200 ft long, taller than 80% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Stearns Reservoir Dam
Stearns Reservoir Dam is a dam in McCreary, Kentucky. The dam is owned by Railroad King Inc (local government). It impounds the Laurel Creek near Cumberland Falls State Park.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 1,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 70 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 has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. The most recent inspection on record was 04/10/2013. That was over 13 years ago.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Kentucky |
| County | McCreary |
| Nearest City | Cumberland Falls State Park |
| River/Stream | Laurel Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.69321, -84.47607 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1920 (106 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 70 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 70 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 55 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Railroad King Inc |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 04/10/2013 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00128 |
| Federal ID | KY00128 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |