Wells Lake Dam Lower
Wells Lake Dam Lower is an earth dam located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Wells Lake Dam Lower
The primary purpose of Wells Lake Dam Lower is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Wells Lake Estates Poa, Inc. (private). It impounds the Gold Branch.
The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 310 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 50 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 600 acre-feet.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. The most recent inspection on record was 02/21/2023.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cherokee |
| River/Stream | Gold Branch |
| Coordinates | 35.00630, -84.10040 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 30 ft |
| Dam Length | 310 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 600 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 600 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 275 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 50 acres |
| Max Discharge | 340 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Wells Lake Estates POA, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 02/21/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC02106 |
| Federal ID | NC02106 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |