Rankin Lake Dam

About Rankin Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Rankin Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Rankin Lake, Llc (private). It impounds the Little Mountain Creek near Ellerbe.

The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 345 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 58 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 15 square miles. Completed in 1958, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 07/29/2024.

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.

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