African Plains Dam is an earth dam located in Randolph County, North Carolina. It carries a Low hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 22 ft22 ft tall and 320 ft long. 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 African Plains Dam
The primary purpose of African Plains Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Nc Zoological Authority (state). It impounds the Richland Creek.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 320 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 6 acres, and has a maximum storage capacity of 76 acre-feet.
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 01/08/2025.
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Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Randolph |
| River/Stream | Richland Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.62960, -79.74940 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 320 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 76 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 76 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 38 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 6 acres |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Nc Zoological Authority |
| Owner Type | State |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 01/08/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC05580 |
| Federal ID | NC05580 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |