Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a rockfill dam located in Preston County, West Virginia, built in 1972. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Big Bear Lake
The primary purpose of Big Bear Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Alyeska, Incorporated (private). It impounds the Beaver Creek near Bruceton Mills.
The dam stands 66 feet tall and stretches 925 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 35 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 509 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1972, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. 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 05/31/2023.
At 66 feet, this dam is taller than 96% of all dams in the United States.
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Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Preston |
| Nearest City | Bruceton Mills |
| River/Stream | Beaver Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.60000, -79.50917 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 66 ft |
| Dam Height | 66 ft |
| Dam Length | 925 ft |
| Year Completed | 1972 (54 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 509 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 509 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 366 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 35 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | ALYESKA, INCORPORATED |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 05/31/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV07720 |
| Federal ID | WV07720 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |