Walters Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Buncombe County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 25 ft25 ft tall and 125 ft long, taller than 50% 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 Walters Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Walters Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. It impounds the Upper Flat Creek near Bat Cave.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 125 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 0 acres, and has a storage capacity of 7 acre-feet.
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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/14/2025.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Buncombe |
| Nearest City | Bat Cave |
| River/Stream | Upper Flat Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.53380, -82.33430 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 125 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 7 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 7 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 0 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/14/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01915 |
| Federal ID | NC01915 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |