Nelson Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Guilford County, North Carolina, built in 1962. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 375 ft long, taller than 59% 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 Nelson Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Nelson Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Nelsa a Cox (private). It impounds the Sandy Creek near Alamance.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 375 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 75 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1962, 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 03/02/2022.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Guilford |
| Nearest City | Alamance |
| River/Stream | Sandy Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.91000, -79.68090 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 375 ft |
| Year Completed | 1962 (64 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 75 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 75 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 50 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 20 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Nelsa a Cox |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/02/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00785 |
| Federal ID | NC00785 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |