Goodnight Dam

About Goodnight Dam

The primary purpose of Goodnight Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by James H Goodnight (private). It impounds the Reedy Creek near Raleigh.

The dam stands 30 feet tall and stretches 350 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 21 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 305 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 2 square miles.

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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 04/29/2004. That was 21 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.