Old Keyser Reservoir

Old Keyser Reservoir is a concrete dam located in Mineral County, West Virginia, built in 1911. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

Hazard potentialHighFailure would probably cost lives
ConditionFair2nd of 4 ratings
Emergency action planOn file
Last inspection08/20/2012
Height25 ft
Built1911115 years ago

Dam profile

NID height · 25 ft
25 FT TWO-STORY HOUSEMEDIAN U.S. DAM · 24 FT

25 ft tall and 332 ft long, taller than 50% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.

About Old Keyser Reservoir

Old Keyser Reservoir is a dam in Mineral, West Virginia. The dam is owned by City of Keyser (local government). It impounds the Limestone Run near Water Supply.

The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 332 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 62 acre-feet. Completed in 1911, the structure is over a century 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/20/2012. That was 14 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.

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

StateWest Virginia
CountyMineral
Nearest CityWater Supply
River/StreamLimestone Run
Coordinates39.39028, -78.98306

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeConcrete
NID Height25 ft
Dam Height25 ft
Dam Length332 ft
Year Completed1911 (115 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage62 acre-ft
Max Storage62 acre-ft
Normal Storage44 acre-ft
Surface Area5 acres

Ownership & Safety

PurposeOther
OwnerCity of Keyser
Owner TypeLocal Government
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection08/20/2012
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDWV05722
Federal IDWV05722
More InfoState Dam Safety Program