Lower Salem Ws
Lower Salem Ws is an earth dam located in Harrison County, West Virginia, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Lower Salem Ws
Lower Salem Ws is a dam in Harrison, West Virginia. The dam is owned by City Of Salem (local government). It impounds the Salem Fork near Salem.
The dam stands 49 feet tall and stretches 315 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 13 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 441 acre-feet. 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. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/31/2023.
At 49 feet, this dam is taller than 92% 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 | Harrison |
| Nearest City | Salem |
| River/Stream | Salem Fork |
| Coordinates | 39.28806, -80.54972 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 49 ft |
| Dam Height | 49 ft |
| Dam Length | 315 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 441 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 441 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 145 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 13 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | CITY OF SALEM |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/31/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV03314 |
| Federal ID | WV03314 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |