South Hyco Lake Dam

About South Hyco Lake Dam

The primary purpose of South Hyco Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by City Of Roxboro (local government). It impounds the South Hyco Creek.

The dam stands 58 feet tall and stretches 650 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 450 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 9,400 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 23 square miles. Completed in 1977, the structure is 49 years old.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/29/2024.

At 58 feet, this dam is taller than 95% of all dams in the United States.

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.

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