Lake Stephens Dam is a rockfill dam located in Raleigh County, West Virginia, built in 1963. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 74 ft74 ft tall and 875 ft long, taller than 97% 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 rockfill embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Lake Stephens Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Stephens Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Raleigh County Recreation Authority (local government). It impounds the Stephens Branch near Surveyor.
The dam stands 74 feet tall and stretches 875 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 248 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 8,990 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 3 square miles. Completed in 1963, 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 01/31/2022.
At 74 feet, this dam is taller than 97% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Raleigh |
| Nearest City | Surveyor |
| River/Stream | Stephens Branch |
| Coordinates | 37.77694, -81.30889 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 74 ft |
| Dam Height | 74 ft |
| Dam Length | 875 ft |
| Year Completed | 1963 (63 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 8,990 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 8,990 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 6,566 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 248 acres |
| Drainage Area | 3 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Raleigh County Recreation Authority |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/31/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV08103 |
| Federal ID | WV08103 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |