Wilbur Dam is a concrete dam located in Carter County, Tennessee, built in 1912. It carries a High hazard potential classification.
Dam profile
NID height · 76 ft76 ft tall and 376 ft long, taller than 97% 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 concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Wilbur Dam
The primary purpose of Wilbur Dam is flood risk reduction. The dam is designed to control downstream flooding by temporarily storing excess water during storms and releasing it at a controlled rate. The dam is owned by TVA (federal). It impounds the Watauga River near Elizabethton.
The dam stands 76 feet tall and stretches 376 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 70 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 873 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 480 square miles. Completed in 1912, the structure is over a century old.
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 01/29/2025.
At 76 feet, this dam is taller than 97% 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 Tennessee 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 | Tennessee |
| County | Carter |
| Nearest City | Elizabethton |
| River/Stream | Watauga River |
| Coordinates | 36.34123, -82.12639 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Concrete |
| NID Height | 76 ft |
| Dam Height | 47 ft |
| Dam Length | 376 ft |
| Year Completed | 1912 (114 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 873 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 873 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 595 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 70 acres |
| Drainage Area | 480 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 39,040 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Flood Risk Reduction |
| Owner | TVA |
| Owner Type | Federal |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Not assessed |
| Last Inspection | 01/29/2025 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | TN01904 |
| Federal ID | TN01904 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |