Summit Lake
Summit Lake is an earth dam located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Summit Lake
The primary purpose of Summit Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Usda Fs (federal). It impounds the Coats Run near Richwood.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 1,375 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 39 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 613 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1955, 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 11/20/2019.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% 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 West Virginia 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 | West Virginia |
| County | Greenbrier |
| Nearest City | Richwood |
| River/Stream | Coats Run |
| Coordinates | 38.24923, -80.43693 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,375 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 613 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 613 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 290 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 39 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 2,352 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | USDA FS |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 11/20/2019 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV02505 |
| Federal ID | WV02505 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |