Allen No. 1 Dam

About Allen No. 1 Dam

The primary purpose of Allen No. 1 Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Gary Allen (private). It impounds the Tributary To Moxahala Creek near Milligan.

The dam stands 59 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 53 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 11/16/2023.

At 59 feet, this dam is taller than 95% 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.

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