Rachel Hunting & Fishing Dam
Rachel Hunting & Fishing Dam is an earth dam located in Marion County, West Virginia, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Rachel Hunting & Fishing Dam
The primary purpose of Rachel Hunting & Fishing Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Pole Cat Holdings, Llc (private). It impounds the Mods Run near Rachel.
The dam stands 32 feet tall and stretches 269 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 198 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 10/31/2022.
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 | Marion |
| Nearest City | Rachel |
| River/Stream | Mods Run |
| Coordinates | 39.53222, -80.31028 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Height | 32 ft |
| Dam Length | 269 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 198 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 198 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 111 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Pole Cat Holdings, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/31/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV04904 |
| Federal ID | WV04904 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |