Muddy Creek Dam
Muddy Creek Dam is an earth dam located in McDowell County, North Carolina, built in 1975. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About Muddy Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Muddy Creek Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Boy Scouts Of America, Mecklenburg County Council (private). It impounds the Muddy Creek.
The dam stands 34 feet tall and stretches 505 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 440 acre-feet. Completed in 1975, 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/06/2025.
At 34 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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 | McDowell |
| River/Stream | Muddy Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.59590, -81.86780 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 34 ft |
| Dam Length | 505 ft |
| Year Completed | 1975 (51 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 440 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 440 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 280 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | Boy Scouts of America, Mecklenburg County Council |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 03/06/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01343 |
| Federal ID | NC01343 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |