Weatherspoon Cooling Lake Dam
Weatherspoon Cooling Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Robeson County, North Carolina, built in 1955. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Weatherspoon Cooling Lake Dam
Weatherspoon Cooling Lake Dam is a dam in Robeson, North Carolina. The dam is owned by Duke Energy Corporation (public utility). It impounds the Lumber River.
The dam stands 14 feet tall and stretches 8,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 51 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 994 acre-feet. Completed in 1955, 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/09/2024.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Robeson |
| River/Stream | Lumber River |
| Coordinates | 34.58470, -78.97140 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 14 ft |
| Dam Length | 8,200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1955 (71 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 994 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 994 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 828 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 51 acres |
| Max Discharge | 149 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Duke Energy Corporation |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/09/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01078 |
| Federal ID | NC01078 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |