Belews Lake Dam
Belews Lake Dam is an earth dam located in Rockingham County, North Carolina. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Belews Lake Dam
Belews Lake Dam is a dam in Rockingham, North Carolina. The dam is owned by Duke Energy Corporation (public utility). It impounds the Ut To Dan River.
The dam stands 170 feet tall and stretches 3,200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 3,863 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 263,490 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 69 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 05/06/2025.
At 170 feet, this dam is taller than 99% of all dams in the United States.
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 | Rockingham |
| River/Stream | Ut To Dan River |
| Coordinates | 36.32000, -80.02440 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 170 ft |
| Dam Length | 3,200 ft |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 263,490 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 263,490 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 185,110 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 3,863 acres |
| Drainage Area | 69 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 26,577 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Other |
| Owner | Duke Energy Corporation |
| Owner Type | Public Utility |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 05/06/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | NC05942 |
| Federal ID | NC05942 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |