Cleary Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Rankin County, Mississippi, built in 1950. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 14 ft14 ft tall and 430 ft long. 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 Cleary Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Cleary Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Cleary Heights HOA (private). It impounds the Hawkins Branch near Florence (upstream).
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 430 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 17 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 174 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/16/2022.
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 Mississippi dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Rankin |
| Nearest City | Florence (upstream) |
| River/Stream | Hawkins Branch |
| Coordinates | 32.16667, -90.17583 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 430 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 174 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 174 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 74 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 17 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Cleary Heights HOA |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 09/16/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | MS01280 |
| Federal ID | MS01280 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |