Shannon Wells Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Boyd County, Kentucky, built in 2016. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 39 ft39 ft tall and 340 ft long, taller than 85% 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 Shannon Wells Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Shannon Wells Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Shannon Wells (private).
The dam stands 39 feet tall and stretches 340 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 113 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 2016, the structure is relatively new.
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 07/12/2023.
At 39 feet, this dam is taller than 85% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Boyd |
| Nearest City | Ashland |
| Coordinates | 38.30895, -82.60411 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Height | 39 ft |
| Dam Length | 340 ft |
| Year Completed | 2016 (10 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 113 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 113 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 80 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Shannon Wells |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 07/12/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY01232 |
| Federal ID | KY01232 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |