Helms Dam
Helms Dam is an earth dam located in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Helms Dam
The primary purpose of Helms Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by George W Helms (private). It impounds the Cold Water Creek near Locust.
The dam stands 25 feet tall and stretches 105 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 30 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.
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 12/13/2024.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Cabarrus |
| Nearest City | Locust |
| River/Stream | Cold Water Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.35500, -80.52820 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 25 ft |
| Dam Length | 105 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 30 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 21 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 73 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | George W Helms |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 12/13/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC04928 |
| Federal ID | NC04928 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |