Bellwood Lake Dam

Bellwood Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Geauga County, Ohio, built in 1960. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.

Hazard potentialSignificantFailure could cause major damage
ConditionPoor3rd of 4 · remedial action needed
Emergency action planNone on file
Last inspection06/14/2023
Height27 ft
Built196066 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 27 ft
27 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

27 ft tall and 450 ft long, taller than 59% 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 Bellwood Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Bellwood Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Multiple Owners - 1312-009 (private). It impounds the Tributary to Silver Creek near Russell Center.

The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 450 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 34 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1960, 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. Its condition is rated poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 06/14/2023.

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Location

StateOhio
CountyGeauga
Nearest CityRussell Center
River/StreamTributary to Silver Creek
Coordinates41.43889, -81.32583

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height27 ft
Dam Height27 ft
Dam Length450 ft
Year Completed1960 (66 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage34 acre-ft
Max Storage34 acre-ft
Normal Storage19 acre-ft
Surface Area3 acres
Drainage Area0 sq mi
Max Discharge23 cfs

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerMultiple Owners - 1312-009
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationSignificant
Condition AssessmentPoor
Last Inspection06/14/2023
Emergency Action PlanNo

Identifiers

NID IDOH00360
Federal IDOH00360
More InfoState Dam Safety Program