Forest Lake Dam

About Forest Lake Dam

The primary purpose of Forest Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Forest Lake Estates Poa, Inc. (private). It impounds the Wilson Mill Creek near Rosman.

The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 215 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 2 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 22 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles. Completed in 1968, the structure is well into its service life at over 50 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 unsatisfactory, indicating serious safety deficiencies exist that require immediate attention or remedial action. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 12/19/2024.

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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