Different Drum Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Watauga County, North Carolina. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 28 ft28 ft tall and 106 ft long, taller than 62% 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 Different Drum Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Different Drum Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Little Bavaria Property Owners Association (private). It impounds the Baird Creek near Valle Crucis.
The dam stands 28 feet tall and stretches 106 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 22 acre-feet.
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. The most recent inspection on record was 01/07/2025.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Watauga |
| Nearest City | Valle Crucis |
| River/Stream | Baird Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.22380, -81.75780 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Length | 106 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 22 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 22 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 12 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2 acres |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Little Bavaria Property Owners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 01/07/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01525 |
| Federal ID | NC01525 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |