Research Lake Dam #1
Research Lake Dam #1 is an earth dam located in Montgomery County, North Carolina, built in 1956. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Research Lake Dam #1
The primary purpose of Research Lake Dam #1 is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Nc State University, Sandhills Research Station (state). It impounds the Drowning Creek near Alma.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 435 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 15 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 50 acre-feet. Completed in 1956, 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. The most recent inspection on record was 11/01/2012. That was over 13 years ago.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Montgomery |
| Nearest City | Alma |
| River/Stream | Drowning Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.19020, -79.66890 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 435 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 42 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
| Max Discharge | 99 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | NC State University, Sandhills Research Station |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 11/01/2012 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00464 |
| Federal ID | NC00464 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |