New River Lake Dam
New River Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Watauga County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
About New River Lake Dam
The primary purpose of New River Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Robert A Collier (private). It impounds the Middle Fork Creek near Blowing Rock.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 229 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 35 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/03/2024.
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 | Watauga |
| Nearest City | Blowing Rock |
| River/Stream | Middle Fork Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.12910, -81.66970 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 229 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 35 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 35 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 20 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,341 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Robert A Collier |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 10/03/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC04656 |
| Federal ID | NC04656 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |