Wells Lake Dam Upper
Wells Lake Dam Upper is an earth dam located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Wells Lake Dam Upper
The primary purpose of Wells Lake Dam Upper is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Wells Lake Estates Poa, Inc. (private). It impounds the Cane Creek.
The dam stands 49 feet tall and stretches 210 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 400 acre-feet.
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 02/21/2023.
At 49 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cherokee |
| River/Stream | Cane Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.01150, -84.09650 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 49 ft |
| Dam Length | 210 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 400 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 400 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 275 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
| Max Discharge | 300 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Wells Lake Estates POA, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 02/21/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01266 |
| Federal ID | NC01266 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |