London Locks and Dam is a concrete dam located in Kanawha County, West Virginia, built in 1934. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 103 ft103 ft tall and 948 ft long, taller than 98% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About London Locks and Dam
The primary purpose of London Locks and Dam is navigation. The dam maintains water levels sufficient for boat and barge traffic, supporting commercial or recreational navigation on the waterway. The dam is owned by USACE - Huntington District (federal). It impounds the Kanawha River near London.
The dam stands 103 feet tall and stretches 948 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 700 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 15,800 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 8,490 square miles. Completed in 1934, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/20/2022.
At 103 feet, this dam is taller than 98% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Kanawha |
| Nearest City | London |
| River/Stream | Kanawha River |
| Coordinates | 38.19253, -81.36943 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 103 ft |
| Dam Length | 948 ft |
| Year Completed | 1934 (92 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 15,800 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 15,800 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 15,800 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 700 acres |
| Drainage Area | 8,490 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 12,700 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | USACE - Huntington District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 05/20/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV03907 |
| Federal ID | WV03907 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |