Linville Land Harbor Dam

Linville Land Harbor Dam is an earth dam located in Avery County, North Carolina, built in 2010. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.

About Linville Land Harbor Dam

The primary purpose of Linville Land Harbor Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Linville Land Harbor Property Owners Association (private). It impounds the Linville River near Pineola.

The dam stands 31 feet tall and stretches 560 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 150 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 900 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 19 square miles. Completed in 2010, the structure is relatively new.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. 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 04/02/2025.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The North Carolina dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.

High HazardFair ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Yes

Location

StateNorth Carolina
CountyAvery
Nearest CityPineola
River/StreamLinville River
Coordinates36.03700, -81.89210

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeEarth
NID Height31 ft
Dam Length560 ft
Year Completed2010 (16 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage900 acre-ft
Max Storage900 acre-ft
Normal Storage700 acre-ft
Surface Area150 acres
Drainage Area19 sq mi
Max Discharge31,300 cfs
Spillway TypeUncontrolled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeRecreation
OwnerLinville Land Harbor Property Owners Association
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationHigh
Condition AssessmentFair
Last Inspection04/02/2025
Emergency Action PlanYes

Identifiers

NID IDNC00278
Federal IDNC00278
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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