Ford Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Transylvania County, North Carolina. It carries a Significant hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 215 ft long, taller than 59% 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 Ford Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Ford Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 215 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, and has a storage capacity of 19 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. The most recent inspection on record was 01/09/2025.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Transylvania |
| Nearest City | Brevard |
| Coordinates | 35.15100, -82.77200 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 215 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 19 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 19 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | Significant |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 01/09/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01382 |
| Federal ID | NC01382 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |