Blake's Creek Site No.7
Blake's Creek Site No.7 is an earth dam located in Kanawha County, West Virginia, built in 1970. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Blake's Creek Site No.7
The primary purpose of Blake's Creek Site No.7 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by City Of Nitro (local government). It impounds the Ritenour Lake near Nitro.
The dam stands 47 feet tall and stretches 818 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 28 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,148 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. Completed in 1970, 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 10/31/2024.
At 47 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 | Kanawha |
| Nearest City | Nitro |
| River/Stream | Ritenour Lake |
| Coordinates | 38.41722, -81.83167 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Length | 818 ft |
| Year Completed | 1970 (56 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,148 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,148 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 201 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 28 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 14,331 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | CITY OF NITRO |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/31/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV03909 |
| Federal ID | WV03909 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |