Lenoir Water Supply Dam
Lenoir Water Supply Dam is a concrete dam located in Caldwell County, North Carolina, built in 1924. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
About Lenoir Water Supply Dam
The primary purpose of Lenoir Water Supply Dam is water supply. The dam stores water for municipal, industrial, or agricultural use, helping ensure a reliable supply for the surrounding area. It impounds the Zacks Fork Creek near Lenoir.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 236 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 4 acres, has a storage capacity of 27 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1924, the structure is over a century 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/17/2007. That was 19 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
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 | Caldwell |
| Nearest City | Lenoir |
| River/Stream | Zacks Fork Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.98270, -81.47610 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 236 ft |
| Year Completed | 1924 (102 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 27 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 27 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 4 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 333 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Water Supply |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Last Inspection | 01/17/2007 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01232 |
| Federal ID | NC01232 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |