Icard Dam
Icard Dam is an earth dam located in Alexander County, North Carolina, built in 1919. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Icard Dam
Icard Dam is a dam in Alexander, North Carolina. The dam is owned by Sandra T Robbins (private). It impounds the Upper Little River.
The dam stands 58 feet tall and stretches 267 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 120 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,046 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 39 square miles. Completed in 1919, the structure is over a century 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/16/2025.
At 58 feet, this dam is taller than 95% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Alexander |
| River/Stream | Upper Little River |
| Coordinates | 35.81630, -81.33990 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 58 ft |
| Dam Length | 267 ft |
| Year Completed | 1919 (107 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,046 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,046 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,858 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 120 acres |
| Drainage Area | 39 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,883 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Sandra T Robbins |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 01/16/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC05245 |
| Federal ID | NC05245 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |