Willis Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Burke County, North Carolina, built in 1955. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 40 ft40 ft tall and 255 ft long, taller than 86% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Willis Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Willis Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Chapman Miller Family Trust (private).
The dam stands 40 feet tall and stretches 255 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 91 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1955, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/15/2023.
At 40 feet, this dam is taller than 86% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Burke |
| Nearest City | Pleasant Grove |
| Coordinates | 35.60800, -81.55650 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 40 ft |
| Dam Length | 255 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 76 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Chapman Miller Family Trust |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/15/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00094 |
| Federal ID | NC00094 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |