Third Creek Watershed Dam #10

About Third Creek Watershed Dam #10

The primary purpose of Third Creek Watershed Dam #10 is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by The Ellis Bypass Trust (private). It impounds the Third Creek near Statesville.

The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 407 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 33 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 279 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1957, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/01/2025.

At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 78% of dams nationwide.

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