Veto Lake Dam
Veto Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Washington County, Ohio, built in 1954. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Veto Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Veto Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Odnr, Division Of Wildlife (state). It impounds the Little Hocking River near Twin Bridges.
The dam stands 38 feet tall and stretches 463 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 146 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 4,297 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 20 square miles. Completed in 1954, 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 06/16/2022.
At 38 feet, this dam is taller than 85% 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 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.
Location
| State | Ohio |
| County | Washington |
| Nearest City | Twin Bridges |
| River/Stream | Little Hocking River |
| Coordinates | 39.34500, -81.64722 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Height | 38 ft |
| Dam Length | 463 ft |
| Year Completed | 1954 (72 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 4,297 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 4,297 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 1,071 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 146 acres |
| Drainage Area | 20 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 18,130 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | ODNR, Division of Wildlife |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 06/16/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | OH00445 |
| Federal ID | OH00445 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |