Shammack Creek Watershed Structure 3 Dam

Shammack Creek Watershed Structure 3 Dam is an earth dam located in Kemper County, Mississippi, built in 1962. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionFair2nd of 4 ratings
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection10/01/2019
Height22 ft
Built196264 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 22 ft
22 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

22 ft tall. 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 Shammack Creek Watershed Structure 3 Dam

The primary purpose of Shammack Creek Watershed Structure 3 Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is local government-owned.

The dam stands 22 feet tall, has a maximum storage capacity of 665 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1962, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

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 10/01/2019. That was 7 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

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

StateMississippi
CountyKemper
Coordinates32.88453, -88.42269

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height22 ft
Dam Height22 ft
Year Completed1962 (64 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage665 acre-ft
Max Storage665 acre-ft
Normal Storage101 acre-ft
Drainage Area1 sq mi
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection10/01/2019
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDMS01641
Federal IDMS01641
More InfoState Dam Safety Program