Opekiska Lock and Dam is a gravity dam located in Monongalia County, West Virginia, built in 1967. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 52 ft52 ft tall and 478 ft long, taller than 93% 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 Opekiska Lock and Dam
The primary purpose of Opekiska Lock 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 - Pittsburgh District (federal). It impounds the Monongahela River near Morgantown.
The dam stands 52 feet tall and stretches 478 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 800 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 14,400 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2,530 square miles. Completed in 1967, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/17/2021.
At 52 feet, this dam is taller than 93% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Monongalia |
| Nearest City | Morgantown |
| River/Stream | Monongahela River |
| Coordinates | 39.56448, -80.05040 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 52 ft |
| Dam Length | 478 ft |
| Year Completed | 1967 (59 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 14,400 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 14,400 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 14,400 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 800 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2,530 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 117,000 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Navigation |
| Owner | USACE - Pittsburgh District |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/17/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV06108 |
| Federal ID | WV06108 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |