South Bay Dike is an earth dam located in Columbus County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 24 ft24 ft tall and 6,850 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 South Bay Dike
South Bay Dike is a dam in Columbus, North Carolina. The dam is owned by International Paper, Inc. (private). It impounds the Cape Fear River.
The dam stands 24 feet tall and stretches 6,850 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 180 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 2,700 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. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/13/2024.
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.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Columbus |
| River/Stream | Cape Fear River |
| Coordinates | 34.34610, -78.20420 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 24 ft |
| Dam Length | 6,850 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 2,700 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 2,700 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,700 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 180 acres |
| Drainage Area | 0 sq mi |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | International Paper, Inc. |
| Owner Type | Private |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 08/13/2024 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC05701 |
| Federal ID | NC05701 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |