Wayne Wells Dam is an earth dam located in Cherokee County, North Carolina. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 41 ft41 ft tall and 160 ft long, taller than 87% 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 Wayne Wells Dam
The primary purpose of Wayne Wells Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Jacob C London (private). It impounds the Palmer Branch near Murphy.
The dam stands 41 feet tall and stretches 160 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 49 acre-feet.
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 01/22/2020.
At 41 feet, this dam is taller than 87% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cherokee |
| Nearest City | Murphy |
| River/Stream | Palmer Branch |
| Coordinates | 35.10870, -84.00170 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 41 ft |
| Dam Length | 160 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 49 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 49 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 40 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Max Discharge | 120 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Jacob C London |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 01/22/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC02100 |
| Federal ID | NC02100 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |