Carpenter Lake Dam
Carpenter Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Lincoln County, North Carolina, built in 1958. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Carpenter Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Carpenter Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Jeffrey L Carpenter (private).
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 630 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 11 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 134 acre-feet. Completed in 1958, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/25/2024.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The North Carolina dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Lincoln |
| Nearest City | High Shoals |
| Coordinates | 35.41700, -81.19290 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 630 ft |
| Year Completed | 1958 (68 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 134 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 134 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 112 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Max Discharge | 13 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Jeffrey L Carpenter |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 04/25/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00131 |
| Federal ID | NC00131 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |