Ross Creek Dam
Ross Creek Dam is a rockfill dam located in Buncombe County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Ross Creek Dam
The primary purpose of Ross Creek Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by Nc Department Of Transportation (state). It impounds the Ross Creek.
The dam stands 28 feet tall and stretches 153 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 15 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 fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 05/18/2009. That was 16 years ago — unusually long for a high-hazard dam, which typically requires more frequent inspections.
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 |
| River/Stream | Ross Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.59502, -82.53049 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Rockfill |
| NID Height | 28 ft |
| Dam Length | 153 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 15 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 15 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | NC Department of Transportation |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/18/2009 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC01918 |
| Federal ID | NC01918 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |