Black Beauty

About Black Beauty

The primary purpose of Black Beauty is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Hawthorne Army Depot (federal). It impounds the Cat Rose Cottonwood Squaw Creeks near Hawthorne Army Depot.

The dam stands 52 feet tall and stretches 1,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 147 acre-feet. Completed in 1952, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/01/2022.

At 52 feet, this dam is taller than 93% of dams nationwide.

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 Nevada 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.