Carolina Forest Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Lee County, North Carolina, built in 1974. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 35 ft35 ft tall and 515 ft long, taller than 80% 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 Carolina Forest Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Carolina Forest Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Carolina Forest Property Owners Assc., Inc. (private). It impounds the Little Pocket Creek near Sanford.
The dam stands 35 feet tall and stretches 515 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 20 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 290 acre-feet. Completed in 1974, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.
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 03/09/2021.
At 35 feet, this dam is taller than 80% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Lee |
| Nearest City | Sanford |
| River/Stream | Little Pocket Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.49830, -79.28460 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 35 ft |
| Dam Length | 515 ft |
| Year Completed | 1974 (52 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 290 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 290 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 20 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Carolina Forest Property Owners Assc., Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 03/09/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01411 |
| Federal ID | NC01411 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |