Polk Dam

About Polk Dam

The primary purpose of Polk Dam is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by King, Mary Francis (private).

The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 250 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 47 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1926, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

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 02/26/2018. That was 8 years ago, which is on the longer end for a high-hazard structure.

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.

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