Lake Amberly Dam
Lake Amberly Dam is an earth dam located in Wake County, North Carolina, built in 2001. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
About Lake Amberly Dam
The primary purpose of Lake Amberly Dam is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Carolina Preserve By Del Webb At Amberly (private). It impounds the Morris Branch.
The dam stands 23 feet tall and stretches 600 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 14 acres, has a storage capacity of 91 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 2001, the structure is relatively new.
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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 03/24/2023.
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 | Wake |
| River/Stream | Morris Branch |
| Coordinates | 35.82870, -78.91470 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 23 ft |
| Dam Length | 600 ft |
| Year Completed | 2001 (25 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 91 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,426 cfs |
| Spillway Type | None |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Carolina Preserve by Del Webb at Amberly |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 03/24/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC05644 |
| Federal ID | NC05644 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |