Risky reservoirs: West Virginia counties where aging dams pose the greatest threat

Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 19
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (10.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 not rated

#40. Pendleton County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 27
- Number potentially dangerous: 3 (11.1%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 not rated
--- 1 condition withheld

#39. Mineral County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 8
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (12.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#38. Fayette County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 8
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (12.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#37. Brooke County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 8
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (12.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#36. Hardy County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 12
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (16.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#35. Kanawha County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (18.2%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 condition withheld

#34. Lewis County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (20.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#33. Putnam County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (20.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition

#32. Roane County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 12
- Number potentially dangerous: 3 (25.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated
--- 2 condition withheld

#31. Marion County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 16
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (25.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 not rated
--- 1 condition withheld

#30. Marshall County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 7
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (28.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition

#29. Mason County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 7
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (28.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 condition withheld

#28. Braxton County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 3
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (33.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#27. Berkeley County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 3
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (33.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 condition withheld

#26. Summers County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 18
- Number potentially dangerous: 6 (33.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated
--- 4 condition withheld

#25. Harrison County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (36.4%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#24. Preston County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 19
- Number potentially dangerous: 7 (36.8%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 4 in poor condition
--- 3 not rated

#23. Mercer County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (40.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition

#22. Wood County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (40.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 condition withheld

#21. McDowell County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 2
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (50.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 condition withheld

#20. Upshur County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 3 (60.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 not rated

#19. Greenbrier County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 19
- Number potentially dangerous: 12 (63.2%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 12 not rated

#18. Grant County
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 7 (63.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition
--- 3 not rated
--- 2 condition withheld

#17. Raleigh County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 3
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (66.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#16. Randolph County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 7
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (71.4%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated
--- 1 condition withheld

#15. Ohio County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 4
- Number potentially dangerous: 3 (75.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition

#14. Cabell County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 8
- Number potentially dangerous: 6 (75.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated
--- 3 condition withheld

#13. Monongalia County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 6
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (83.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 5 condition withheld

#12. Wayne County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 7
- Number potentially dangerous: 6 (85.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 not rated
--- 4 condition withheld

#11. Nicholas County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 1
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#10. Jefferson County
Jerry Sharp // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 1
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#9. Hancock County
Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 1
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#8. Wetzel County
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 1
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition

#7. Webster County
Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 1
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#6. Clay County
Kenneth Keifer // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 1
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#5. Doddridge County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 2
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 condition withheld

#4. Taylor County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 4
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 4 condition withheld

#3. Logan County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 9
- Number potentially dangerous: 9 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 2 not rated
--- 6 condition withheld

#2. Mingo County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 12
- Number potentially dangerous: 12 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 not rated
--- 9 condition withheld

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten, writing by Dom DiFurio, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

#1. Boone County
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