Burke Dam is an earth dam located in Alamance County, North Carolina, built in 1981. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 20 ft20 ft tall and 350 ft long. 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 Burke Dam
The primary purpose of Burke Dam is debris control. The dam is designed to catch sediment, rocks, and debris carried by flowing water — particularly important in areas prone to mudslides or heavy erosion. The dam is owned by City of Graham (local government). It impounds the Quaker Creek near Swepsonville.
The dam stands 20 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 8 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 148 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1981, the structure is 45 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. The most recent inspection on record was 12/17/2024.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Alamance |
| Nearest City | Swepsonville |
| River/Stream | Quaker Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.09730, -79.33780 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 20 ft |
| Dam Length | 350 ft |
| Year Completed | 1981 (45 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 148 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 148 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 66 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 8 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 745 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Debris Control |
| Owner | City of Graham |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 12/17/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01735 |
| Federal ID | NC01735 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |