Berwind Lake
Berwind Lake is a rockfill dam located in McDowell County, West Virginia, built in 1959. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Berwind Lake
The primary purpose of Berwind Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Wvdnr, Parks (state). It impounds the War Creek near Warriormine.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 251 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 21 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 521 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 4 square miles. Completed in 1959, 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 01/31/2024.
At 32 feet, this dam is taller than 76% 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 | McDowell |
| Nearest City | Warriormine |
| River/Stream | War Creek |
| Coordinates | 37.25889, -81.69889 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 251 ft |
| Year Completed | 1959 (67 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 521 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 521 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 248 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 21 acres |
| Drainage Area | 4 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | WVDNR, PARKS |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/31/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV04702 |
| Federal ID | WV04702 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |