Young Lake Dam

About Young Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Young Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. It impounds the Black River near Barclaysville.

The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 810 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 40 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 389 acre-feet. Completed in 1870, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half of service.

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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/29/2025.

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.