Burgess Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Jackson County, North Carolina. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a unsatisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 255 ft long, taller than 50% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Burgess Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Burgess Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by John L Burgess (private). It impounds the Cullowhee Creek near Whittier.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 255 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 30 acre-feet.
This dam has a significant hazard potential classification, meaning that a failure could cause significant economic damage — flooding roads, bridges, or property downstream — but is not expected to result in loss of life. Its condition is rated unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. The most recent inspection on record was 03/05/2021.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Jackson |
| Nearest City | Whittier |
| River/Stream | Cullowhee Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.44680, -83.32870 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 255 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 20 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | John L Burgess |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Unsatisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/05/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01303 |
| Federal ID | NC01303 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |