Chetola Lake Dam
Chetola Lake Dam is a concrete dam located in Watauga County, North Carolina, built in 1920. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Chetola Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Chetola Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Rsk Mountain Resort, Llc (private). It impounds the Middle Fork Creek near Boone.
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 225 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 130 acre-feet. Completed in 1920, the structure is over a century 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 03/26/2021.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Watauga |
| Nearest City | Boone |
| River/Stream | Middle Fork Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.13870, -81.67060 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 225 ft |
| Year Completed | 1920 (106 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 130 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 130 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 108 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | RSK Mountain Resort, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/26/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00250 |
| Federal ID | NC00250 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |