Potato Hill Lake Dam
Potato Hill Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Watauga County, North Carolina, built in 1948. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Potato Hill Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Potato Hill Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. It impounds the Howards Creek near Sands.
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 9 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 52 acre-feet. Completed in 1948, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/25/2025.
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.
Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Watauga |
| Nearest City | Sands |
| River/Stream | Howards Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.28200, -81.71730 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1948 (78 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 52 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 52 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 43 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 9 acres |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not Rated |
| Last Inspection | 02/25/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00413 |
| Federal ID | NC00413 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |