Kennedy Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Cleveland County, North Carolina, built in 1956. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 45 ft45 ft tall and 468 ft long, taller than 90% 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 Kennedy Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Kennedy Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Cecelia R Deal (private). It impounds the Long Creek near Double Shoals.
The dam stands 45 feet tall and stretches 468 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 152 acre-feet. Completed in 1956, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 01/07/2025.
At 45 feet, this dam is taller than 90% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cleveland |
| Nearest City | Double Shoals |
| River/Stream | Long Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.36930, -81.49640 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 45 ft |
| Dam Length | 468 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 152 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 152 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 128 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Max Discharge | 83 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Cecelia R Deal |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 01/07/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00118 |
| Federal ID | NC00118 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |