Woodland Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Hancock County, West Virginia, built in 1969. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 26 ft26 ft tall and 225 ft long, taller than 55% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. 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 Woodland Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Woodland Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by D. Dawson (private). It impounds the Tr. of So. Fork near Gas Valley.
The dam stands 26 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 35 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1969, 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam.
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 | Hancock |
| Nearest City | Gas Valley |
| River/Stream | Tr. of So. Fork |
| Coordinates | 40.53000, -80.54472 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1969 (57 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 35 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 35 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 12 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | D. Dawson |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV02904 |
| Federal ID | WV02904 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |