Watts Lake Dam
Watts Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Alexander County, North Carolina, built in 1948. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Watts Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Watts Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming.
The dam stands 31 feet tall and stretches 250 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 87 acre-feet. Completed in 1948, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
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 12/21/2023.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Alexander |
| Nearest City | Vashti |
| Coordinates | 36.02940, -81.13280 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 31 ft |
| Dam Length | 250 ft |
| Year Completed | 1948 (78 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 87 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 87 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 12/21/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01700 |
| Federal ID | NC01700 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |