Stigler Dam is an earth dam located in Jackson County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 26 ft26 ft tall and 160 ft long, taller than 55% 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 Stigler Dam
The primary purpose of Stigler Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. It impounds the Cane Creek near Cullowhee.
The dam stands 26 feet tall and stretches 160 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1 acres, and has a storage capacity of 10 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. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/01/1999. That was 27 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 | Jackson |
| Nearest City | Cullowhee |
| River/Stream | Cane Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.36430, -83.15110 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 26 ft |
| Dam Length | 160 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 10 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 10 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1 acres |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner Type | Not Listed |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 04/01/1999 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC03198 |
| Federal ID | NC03198 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |