Penny Hill Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Wake County, North Carolina, built in 1956. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 24 ft24 ft tall and 390 ft long. 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 Penny Hill Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Penny Hill Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. It impounds the Fowlers Mill Creek near Wendell.
The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 390 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 12 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 72 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles. 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 01/02/2024.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Wake |
| Nearest City | Wendell |
| River/Stream | Fowlers Mill Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.89890, -78.39950 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 390 ft |
| Year Completed | 1956 (70 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 72 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 72 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 12 acres |
| Drainage Area | 2 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 01/02/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC00801 |
| Federal ID | NC00801 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |