Lake Mackintosh Dam
Lake Mackintosh Dam is a concrete dam located in Alamance County, North Carolina, built in 1992. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Lake Mackintosh Dam
Lake Mackintosh Dam is a dam in Alamance, North Carolina. The dam is owned by City Of Burlington (local government). It impounds the Great Alamance Creek near Alamance.
The dam stands 69 feet tall and stretches 400 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 1,125 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 30,825 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 135 square miles. Completed in 1992, the structure is 34 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 02/25/2025.
At 69 feet, this dam is taller than 96% 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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Alamance |
| Nearest City | Alamance |
| River/Stream | Great Alamance Creek |
| Coordinates | 36.04050, -79.50350 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 69 ft |
| Dam Length | 400 ft |
| Year Completed | 1992 (34 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 30,825 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 30,825 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 23,000 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 1,125 acres |
| Drainage Area | 135 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 122,500 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | City of Burlington |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 02/25/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC04954 |
| Federal ID | NC04954 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |