Cheoah Valley Dam

About Cheoah Valley Dam

The primary purpose of Cheoah Valley Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Dick Holdings, Llc (private). It impounds the Alken Branch near Chilhowee.

The dam stands 48 feet tall and stretches 154 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 5 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 96 acre-feet. Completed in 1956, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 years old.

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 11/06/2023.

At 48 feet, this dam is taller than 92% of dams nationwide.

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.

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