Snyder Pond Dam
Snyder Pond Dam is an earth dam located in Avery County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Snyder Pond Dam
The primary purpose of Snyder Pond Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Joseph R Purser (private). It impounds the Ashely Creek.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 75 feet across, and has a storage capacity of 0 acre-feet.
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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/05/1995. That was 30 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
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 | Avery |
| River/Stream | Ashely Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.07740, -81.97740 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 75 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 0 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 0 acre-ft |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Joseph R Purser |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/05/1995 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01858 |
| Federal ID | NC01858 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |