Lake Charles Dam is an earth dam located in Macon County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a poor condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 27 ft27 ft tall and 287 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 Lake Charles Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Charles Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Patrick Williams (private). It impounds the Ut to Tessentee Creek near Franklin.
The dam stands 27 feet tall and stretches 287 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 16 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 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 poor, meaning the dam has recognized safety deficiencies that require remediation to address risks. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 02/28/2025.
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 | Macon |
| Nearest City | Franklin |
| River/Stream | Ut to Tessentee Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.07880, -83.35780 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 27 ft |
| Dam Length | 287 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 16 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 16 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 7 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Patrick Williams |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Poor |
| Last Inspection | 02/28/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01388 |
| Federal ID | NC01388 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |