R.D. Bailey, WV

The 19,000-acre R.D. Bailey Lake project is located in the rugged Appalachian Mountains. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed the project to reduce flood damage along the Guyandotte and Ohio Rivers. Authorized by Congress in the Federal Flood Control Act of 1962, the lake also provides downstream water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and many recreation opportunities. The dam is on the Guyandotte River near the southwestern West Virginia town of Justice. The lake is in Wyoming County. Work on the dam began in 1974; construction began in 1967 and was completed in 1980. In 1965, Congress changed the name in honor of the late Judge R.D. Bailey, a lawyer, state senator, prosecuting attorney, and a leader in Wyoming County education. The entire project cost of $180 million was spent on relocations, planning and engineering, purchase of real estate, and construction. Through the first eight years of its operation, the dam prevented $59 million worth of flood damages. In time, the dam’s benefits will exceed its costs. Engineers call this type of structure a "rockfill" dam. It is a carefully designed mound of closely compacted rock. A layer of steel-reinforced concrete was placed on the upstream face (on the lakeside) to reduce seepage through the rock. R.D. Bailey was the first concrete-faced dam built by the Corps of Engineers. Such a massive structure requires an enormous amount of materials and manpower. There are 5.7 million cubic yards of rock, 6.4 million pounds of steel, and 240,000 bags of cement in R.D. Bailey Dam.Seasonality: May through September. Water sports permitted. Recommended baits include live shad, black and chartreuse plastic jigs, small jigs, worms, chicken livers and crayfish.