Lawson Dam is an earth dam located in Bradley County, Tennessee. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 18 ft18 ft tall and 18 ft long. 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 Lawson Dam
The primary purpose of Lawson Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Lawson, John C. (private).
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 18 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 52 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.
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. The most recent inspection on record was 04/25/2020.
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 Tennessee 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 | Tennessee |
| County | Bradley |
| Coordinates | 35.15556, -84.81167 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 18 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 52 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 52 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 34 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 5 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Lawson, John C. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 04/25/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Not Required |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TN01112 |
| Federal ID | TN01112 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |