Merchants Millpond Dam

About Merchants Millpond Dam

The primary purpose of Merchants Millpond Dam is fish and wildlife pond. The dam creates habitat for fish and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems and potentially serving conservation goals. The dam is owned by State Of North Carolina, State Property Office (state). It impounds the Benntees Creek.

The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 2,500 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 760 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,100 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 18 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 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 11/21/2024.

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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