Old Mill Lake Dam
Old Mill Lake Dam is a concrete dam located in Caldwell County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
About Old Mill Lake Dam
Old Mill Lake Dam is a dam in Caldwell, North Carolina. The dam is owned by Kiser Sawmills, Inc. (private). It impounds the Gunpowder Creek.
The dam stands 53 feet tall and stretches 265 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 81 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,415 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 34 square miles.
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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/08/2022.
At 53 feet, this dam is taller than 94% of dams nationwide.
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 |
| River/Stream | Gunpowder Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.80050, -81.41110 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 53 ft |
| Dam Length | 265 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,415 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,415 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 81 acres |
| Drainage Area | 34 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 10,880 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Kiser Sawmills, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 12/08/2022 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01295 |
| Federal ID | NC01295 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |