Many who have seen pictures of Chimney Hollow Dam on social media have asked what the "stairs" on the main dam are for. The mystery staircase is a staff gauge. When the reservoir is complete, it will be used to provide a quick visual reference of the water surface elevation.   

From a distance (and while the reservoir is empty), it appears the “steps” are a reasonable size and that a person could use them to march to the top of the dam. But remember, there is nothing small about Chimney Hollow. Each precast concrete block is 3-feet tall, 3.5-feet wide, and 8.25-feet long. When complete, 81 blocks will form the entire “staircase” to the top of the 350-foot dam. The first block is placed at about the 65-foot mark and the blocks are then stacked upward and at an angle for 285 feet. 

Precast concrete means the blocks can be made elsewhere on site and brought to the main dam for placement, versus a “cast in place” process which would require forms to be set and concrete placed on the side slope of the dam.