Beard Lake Dam
Beard Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Randolph County, North Carolina, built in 1965. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Beard Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Beard Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Karen J Brown (private). It impounds the Caraway Creek near Flint Hill.
The dam stands 19 feet tall and stretches 242 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 58 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1965, 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 03/20/2025.
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 | Randolph |
| Nearest City | Flint Hill |
| River/Stream | Caraway Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.83120, -79.93500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 19 ft |
| Dam Length | 242 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 58 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 58 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 48 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 6 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 30 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Karen J Brown |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/20/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00486 |
| Federal ID | NC00486 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |