Hughes Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Cleveland County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 47 ft47 ft tall and 425 ft long, taller than 91% of U.S. dams with a recorded height. Height is drawn to scale against a ten-story building, about 100 ft; the profile is a generic embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Hughes Lake Dam
The primary purpose of Hughes Lake Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Scott Campbell (private). It impounds the Kings Creek.
The dam stands 47 feet tall and stretches 425 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 7 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 130 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 0 square miles.
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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Notably, no emergency action plan is currently on file for this high-hazard dam. The most recent inspection on record was 01/11/2024.
At 47 feet, this dam is taller than 91% of dams nationwide.
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 | Cleveland |
| River/Stream | Kings Creek |
| Coordinates | 35.18220, -81.36500 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Length | 425 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 130 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 130 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 113 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 7 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 716 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Scott Campbell |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 01/11/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | No |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC05636 |
| Federal ID | NC05636 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |