Atwood Dam

Atwood Dam is an earth dam located in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, built in 1936. It carries a High hazard potential classification.

About Atwood Dam

The primary purpose of Atwood 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 owned by Usace - Huntington District (federal). It impounds the Indian Fork Of Conotton Creek near New Cumberland.

The dam stands 65 feet tall and stretches 3,700 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,540 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 49,700 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 70 square miles. Completed in 1936, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/22/2021.

At 65 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.

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 Ohio 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.

High HazardNot Available ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateOhio
CountyTuscarawas
Nearest CityNew Cumberland
River/StreamIndian Fork Of Conotton Creek
Coordinates40.52663, -81.28613

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height65 ft
Dam Length3,700 ft
Year Completed1936 (90 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage49,700 acre-ft
Max Storage49,700 acre-ft
Normal Storage23,600 acre-ft
Surface Area1,540 acres
Drainage Area70 sq mi
Max Discharge12,800 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeFlood Risk Reduction
OwnerUSACE - Huntington District
Owner TypeFederal
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentNot Available
Last Inspection04/22/2021
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDOH00006
Federal IDOH00006
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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