Laurel Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Watauga County, North Carolina, built in 1978. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 33 ft33 ft tall and 245 ft long, taller than 76% 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 Laurel Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Laurel Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Powder Horn Mountain Property Owners Association (private). It impounds the N. Fork Laurel Creek near Darby.
The dam stands 33 feet tall and stretches 245 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 28 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1978, the structure is 48 years old.
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. The most recent inspection on record was 01/03/2025.
At 33 feet, this dam is taller than 76% of dams nationwide.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Watauga |
| Nearest City | Darby |
| River/Stream | N. Fork Laurel Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.17080, -81.52820 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 33 ft |
| Dam Length | 245 ft |
| Year Completed | 1978 (48 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 28 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 28 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 22 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 2 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Powder Horn Mountain Property Owners Association |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 01/03/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC04650 |
| Federal ID | NC04650 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |