Bright Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Chatham County, North Carolina, built in 1957. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 175 ft long, taller than 50% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Bright Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Bright Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Brisa Properties, LLC (private). It impounds the Deep River near Moncure.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 175 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 55 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 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. The most recent inspection on record was 03/06/2023.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Chatham |
| Nearest City | Moncure |
| River/Stream | Deep River |
| Coordinates | 35.60890, -79.19360 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 175 ft |
| Year Completed | 1957 (69 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 55 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 55 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 46 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 53 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Brisa Properties, LLC |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/06/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00626 |
| Federal ID | NC00626 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |