Beech Dam
Beech Dam is an earth dam located in Henderson County, Tennessee, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Beech Dam
The primary purpose of Beech 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 Tva (federal). It impounds the Beech River near Lexington.
The dam stands 44 feet tall and stretches 1,615 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 877 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 15,500 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 15 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/15/2025.
At 44 feet, this dam is taller than 90% 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 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 | Henderson |
| Nearest City | Lexington |
| River/Stream | Beech River |
| Coordinates | 35.66089, -88.41577 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 44 ft |
| Dam Height | 44 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,615 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 15,500 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 15,500 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 11,070 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 877 acres |
| Drainage Area | 15 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 26,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | TVA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Available |
| Last Inspection | 07/15/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TN07705 |
| Federal ID | TN07705 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |