Alaska Reservoirs & Dams

May

14

2026

Reservoir report

Alaska has over 1,000 named lakes and reservoirs, with the largest ones being used for hydroelectric power generation, flood control, and water supply. The major reservoirs include Eklutna Lake, Chena Lake, and the Bradley Lake Reservoir, which are fed by glaciers, snowmelt, and several rivers and creeks. The snowpack in the mountains is a vital source of water, and the timing of its melting affects the streamflow and reservoir levels. The hydrology in the area is complex, with various geological formations and climatic patterns. Alaska has experienced record-high temperatures and drought conditions in recent years, leading to reduced water availability in some areas. However, the seasonal trends, such as the increased precipitation during the summer months and the snow accumulation during the winter, generally ensure sufficient water supply for the state's needs.

Alaska at a glance

Storage, hazard, and history

How the Alaska dam inventory breaks down -- aggregate stats computed across every documented dam in the state.

Hazard classification

High30
Significant40
Low38

USACE downstream-consequence rating, not failure likelihood.

Notable dams

Tallest Fort Knox Tailings Dam 350 ft
Oldest Lower Dewey 1905
Total storage All Alaska dams 1,787,866 ac·ft

Built by decade

Most U.S. dams were built mid-20th century during the federal water-development era.

Full inventory

Alaska dams & reservoirs

Every documented dam in Alaska. Sortable by any column; quickly filterable by name. Numeric columns heat-mapped from light to deep based on value. Tap any dam for the full report.

Name	Year built	Normal storage	Dam height	Max discharge	Hazard	Drainage area
Cooper Lake	1959	112,000	52	24,500	High	31
Blue Lake	1961	266,000	294	14,000	High	37
Salmon Creek	1914	12,000	170	810	High	5
Annex Creek	1968	23,400	20	458	Low	6
Crystal Lake	1955	5,200	43	2,632	High	2
Ketchikan Lakes	1957	11,463	34	7,500	High	8
Upper Silvis	1968	22,000	60	6,000	Low	3
Lower Silvis	1954	1,400	32	7,900	Low	1
Lower Dewey	1905	250	28	220	Low	4
Lake Connell	1953	6,000	96	18,000	High	13
Carlanna Lake	1975	390	31	4,700	High	2
Whitman Lake	1927	1,440	39	·	High	4
Wrangell Upper	1967	122	28	533	High	1
Wrangell Lower	1968	68	28	533	High	1
Petersburg Upper Dam	1950	123	23	2,000	Significant	3
Hess Creek Dam	1946	9,650	·	600	Significant	·
Meals Lake Dam	1972	46	23	170	High	0
Pillar Creek Dam No.1.A	1969	0	45	280	Significant	2
Pillar Creek Dam No. 2.C	1968	0	24	900	Significant	4
Bettinger Upper Reservoir Dam	1968	67	67	64	High	0
Seldovia Upper Dam	1953	11	24	340	Low	1
Solomon Gulch	1981	31,500	115	46,250	High	20
Solomon Gulch Spillway	1981	31,500	55	46,250	High	20
Campbell Lake Dam	1957	0	11	170	Low	74
Westchester Lagoon Dam	1973	200	22	350	Significant	28
Big Kitoi	1962	1,500	·	35	Low	·
Shotter Creek Upper Dam	1968	52	·	100	Significant	·
Eklutna Dam	1965	175,000	41	4,000	High	119
Lake "O" The Hills	1975	50	13	250	High	2
Ship Creek Dam	1954	27	·	2,000	High	·
Gregory Lake	·	350	16	300	Low	6
Fawn Lake Dam North	1959	80	15	720	Low	0
Fawn Lake Dam South	1957	80	22	·	Low	0
Long Lake Dam	1973	147,000	·	28,000	Low	32
Eyak Lake	1972	13,000	2	·	Low	42
Isatkuag Lagoon Dam	1977	1,140	16	374	Significant	3
Itasigrook	1964	1,180	6	420	Significant	·
Lake Osprey Dam	1919	1,250	8	·	Low	·
Dewey Forebay	1905	35	30	197	Low	4
Lowell Creek	1945	50	·	3,150	High	·
Sherwood Estates Dam	1975	200	·	·	Low	·
Kotzebue Water Supply Dam	1970	370	16	·	Significant	·
Pillar Creek Dam No. 2.A	1968	123	·	900	Significant	4
Pillar Creek Dam No. 2.B	1968	123	17	900	Significant	4
Pillar Creek Dam No.1.B	1968	45	·	280	Significant	2
Monashka Creek Dam	1982	2,960	58	5,962	Significant	4
Douglas Island Dam	1937	3	·	40	High	·
Roycroft Lake	1979	0	7	·	Significant	·
Moose Creek Dam	1979	0	40	160,000	High	1,496
Moose Creek Dam - East Cutoff Dike	1979	0	40	160,000	High	1,496
Chiniak Satellite Tracking Sta. Dam	1954	65	·	150	Low	·
Alitak Cannery Dam #3	1964	51	·	350	Low	·
Alitak Cannery Dam #2	1964	52	18	20	Low	0
Alitak Cannery Dam #1	1917	0	9	12	High	32
Lower Eklutna	1923	15	·	4,600	Significant	·
Alitak Cannery Dam #4	1964	51	·	·	Low	·
Stover Dam	1962	80	11	68	Low	0
Bridge Creek Dam	1975	550	65	150	High	3
Chignik	1947	72	17	800	Low	2
North Lake West Dam	1945	46	·	20	Significant	·
North Lake East Dam	1970	46	·	·	Significant	·
Bonnie Rose Lake Dam	1943	2,146	10	1,000	Significant	2
Lake Leone Dam	1945	1,545	·	400	Significant	·
Adak Log Dam	1970	74	·	300	Low	·
Cannery Creek Dam	1979	1,400	17	1,100	Significant	3
Hydaburg Dam	1939	8	·	100	Significant	·
New England Fish Co Dam	1940	70	10	2,000	Low	·
Lake Demarie Dam	1951	1,611	·	5,000	Significant	·
Granite Diversion	1957	456	14	0	Low	2
Ward Cove Cannery Dam	1932	46	25	210	Low	1
Lake Lucile Dam	1969	2,051	6	45	Significant	·
Bluff Lake Diversion	1984	1,000	10	1,900	Low	7
Monashka Creek Dike	1982	2,960	45	·	Significant	4
Lower Fire Lake Dam	1960	400	13	273	High	3
Red Dog Water Supply Dam	1989	535	63	990	Significant	5
Red Dog Tailings Main Dam	1993	36,750	208	·	High	3
Mahoona Dam	1986	305	13	420	Low	1
Fort Knox Water Dam	1995	3,830	67	8,400	Low	26
Fort Knox Tailings Dam	1996	132,200	350	·	Significant	7
Nixon Fork Tailings Dam	1995	62	64	·	Significant	0
Cabin Creek Dam	1996	660	38	3,100	Significant	4
Red Dog Mine Water Diversion Dam	1991	0	25	75	Low	0
Beluga Lake Dam	·	550	13	·	Significant	·
Akutan Hydro Dam	1993	0	21	·	Significant	·
Icy Creek Reservoir Dam	1993	0	24	·	Significant	·
Icy Lake Dam	1995	0	7	·	Low	·
Humboldt Creek Reservoir Dam	·	50	19	·	Significant	·
Two Bull Ridge Pond T5 Dam	2000	6	49	136	Low	0
Red Dog Tailings Back Dam	2010	0	66	·	High	3
Pogo R.T.P. Dam	2005	14	91	303	High	0
New Kake Dam	2007	13	35	8,800	High	15
Chuniixsax Hydro Dam	·	0	·	·	Significant	·
Pond 7 Dam	2005	31	30	70	Significant	0
Lower Slate Lake Tailings Dam	2010	2,300	63	1,020	Significant	1
Kwethluk Wastewater Lagoon Dam	·	98	13	·	Significant	10
A F K Hatchery Dam	1977	446	32	1,282	Low	1
North Fork Lake Dam	·	0	12	·	Significant	·
Sand Pit Dam	2016	0	33	·	Low	·
C. P. P. Dam	·	178	7	·	Low	·
Cremo Lake Dam	·	0	6	95	Significant	2
Caswell Lakes Road Embankment	·	123	14	230	Significant	9
Grant Mine Tailings Dam	1987	·	30	·	Significant	·
Explorer Glacier Pond Dam	1989	125	7	·	High	·
Shotgun Creek Div	1984	285	40	1,440	Low	2
Swan Lake	1984	144,763	174	27,900	High	37
Bradley Lake Dam	1991	284,150	125	23,800	Low	56
Bradley Lake Spillway Dam	1991	284,150	115	23,800	Low	56
Bart Lake Dam	2009	2,000	31	·	Low	2

Reservoir FAQ

About Alaska dams & reservoirs

Where does the Alaska dam data come from?

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams (NID) plus state water-resource agencies. Snoflo joins these public records with live USGS streamgauge readings downstream where available. The NID is the canonical federal dam registry.

What does Hazard Potential mean?

USACE classifies every dam by what would happen if it failed: Low (no loss of life expected, minimal economic damage), Significant (no loss of life but economic, environmental, or lifeline damage), High (loss of life expected). It's a downstream-consequence rating, not a likelihood of failure.

What is Normal Storage in acre-feet?

The volume of water the reservoir holds at its normal operating level, measured in acre-feet. One acre-foot is about 325,851 gallons or 1,233 cubic meters — the amount needed to cover one acre to a depth of one foot.

Why are some Alaska dams missing storage or height data?

USACE NID records can have gaps for small or older dams that pre-date federal reporting requirements. Snoflo surfaces whatever the canonical record contains. If a dam you care about has incomplete data, contact the operating agency or USACE for updates.

Can I see live water levels?

Yes — tap any dam name to open its detail page, which pulls live storage data from USGS streamgauges or operating-agency feeds where available. Historical levels and seasonal averages are also shown.

Why does Alaska have so many dams?

The U.S. has over 90,000 dams — most built between 1930 and 1980 during the federal water-development era. Alaska's count reflects a combination of agricultural irrigation needs, flood control, hydropower, and recreation. The "Built by decade" chart above shows the timeline.