Cedar Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Cleveland County, North Carolina, built in 1965. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 37 ft37 ft tall and 851 ft long, taller than 83% 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 Cedar Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Cedar Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Cedar Lake Farm, LLC (private). It impounds the Little Buffalo Creek near Baker Bridge.
The dam stands 37 feet tall and stretches 851 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 300 acre-feet. Completed in 1965, 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/07/2025.
At 37 feet, this dam is taller than 83% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cleveland |
| Nearest City | Baker Bridge |
| River/Stream | Little Buffalo Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.40230, -81.45980 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 37 ft |
| Dam Length | 851 ft |
| Year Completed | 1965 (61 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 300 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 300 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 200 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
| Max Discharge | 99 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Cedar Lake Farm, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 01/07/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00122 |
| Federal ID | NC00122 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |