Watson Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Webster County, Kentucky, built in 1936. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 275 ft long, taller than 59% 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 Watson Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Watson Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Herman Hawkins (private). It impounds the Caldwell Creek near Tilden.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 275 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a storage capacity of 34 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1936, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. 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 08/29/2013. That was over 13 years ago.
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Location
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Webster |
| Nearest City | Tilden |
| River/Stream | Caldwell Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.57028, -87.69444 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 275 ft |
| Year Completed | 1936 (90 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 34 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 34 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Herman Hawkins |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/29/2013 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY00886 |
| Federal ID | KY00886 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |