No. 1-west of Cornwallis is an earth dam located in Ritchie County, West Virginia, built in 1863. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 31 ft31 ft tall and 1,043 ft long, taller than 72% 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 embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About No. 1-west of Cornwallis
The primary purpose of No. 1-west of Cornwallis is fire protection, stock, or small fish pond. The dam maintains a small impoundment used for fire suppression, livestock watering, or as a fish pond. The dam is owned by Chessie System Railroad Co. (private). It impounds the Hughes River near Cairo.
The dam stands 31 feet tall and stretches 1,043 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 41 acre-feet. Completed in 1863, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.
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. 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 08/01/2023.
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Location
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Ritchie |
| Nearest City | Cairo |
| River/Stream | Hughes River |
| Coordinates | 39.22500, -81.12778 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Length | 1,043 ft |
| Year Completed | 1863 (163 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 41 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 41 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 23 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Fire Protection, Stock, Or Small Fish Pond |
| Owner | Chessie System Railroad Co. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 08/01/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WV08506 |
| Federal ID | WV08506 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |