Shawnee Fossil Plant - Ash Disposal Area Perimeter Dike is an earth dam located in McCracken County, Kentucky, built in 1957. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 38 ft38 ft tall and 13,821 ft long, taller than 84% 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 Shawnee Fossil Plant - Ash Disposal Area Perimeter Dike
Shawnee Fossil Plant - Ash Disposal Area Perimeter Dike is a dam in McCracken, Kentucky. The dam is owned by TVA (federal). It impounds the Ohio River - Offstream near Paducah.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 13,821 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 142 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 550 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1957, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/27/2025.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 84% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | Kentucky |
| County | McCracken |
| Nearest City | Paducah |
| River/Stream | Ohio River - Offstream |
| Coordinates | 37.16600, -88.79200 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Length | 13,821 ft |
| Year Completed | 1957 (69 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 550 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 550 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 267 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 142 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 283 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | TVA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 02/27/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | KY05016 |
| Federal ID | KY05016 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |