Chippewa Lake
Chippewa Lake is an earth dam located in Preston County, West Virginia, built in 1950. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Chippewa Lake
The primary purpose of Chippewa Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Karen Snyder (private). It impounds the Laurel Run near Kingwood.
The dam stands 34 feet tall, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 288 acre-feet. Completed in 1950, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 04/01/2014. That was over 12 years ago.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Preston |
| Nearest City | Kingwood |
| River/Stream | Laurel Run |
| Coordinates | 39.51611, -79.69944 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Height | 34 ft |
| Year Completed | 1950 (76 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 288 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 288 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | KAREN SNYDER |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 04/01/2014 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV07726 |
| Federal ID | WV07726 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |