Dams in Cherokee County, North Carolina

29Total Dams
13High Hazard
7Significant

Dam Safety in Cherokee County, North Carolina

Cherokee County has 29 dams tracked in the National Inventory of Dams. Of these, 13 are classified as high hazard — meaning failure would probably cause loss of human life. Another 7 carry a significant hazard classification. Currently, 12 dams have a condition assessment of poor or unsatisfactory.

The average dam in Cherokee County is 55 years old. The most common purpose is recreation. The tallest dam is Hiwassee Dam at 307 ft.

DamHazardConditionHeight (ft)PurposeYear
Hiwassee DamHighNot Available307Flood Risk Reduction1940
Apalachia DamHighNot Available150Hydroelectric1943
Andrews Water Supply DamHighFair85Water Supply1986
Pied Piper Dam LowerHighPoor41Recreation1975
Upper Tanglewood DamHighPoor31Recreation1974
Tanglewood Forest Dam LowerHighUnsatisfactory30Recreation1965
Skomp DamHighFair28Recreation1970
Mcgarry DamHighPoor25Fish and Wildlife Pond
Hamby DamHighPoor25Recreation
Hideaway Mountain Lake DamHighPoor23Recreation
Greenbriar Development Llc DamHighFair20Fish and Wildlife Pond2007
Senecal DamHighFair18Recreation2011
Dills DamHighFair0Other
Grand Vista DamSignificantPoor30Fish and Wildlife Pond
Richard Allen DamSignificantUnsatisfactory25Recreation1981
Wood Lake DamSignificantPoor22Recreation1934
Armstrong DamSignificantFair20Recreation
Headley-may DamSignificantPoor20Recreation1958
Suddreth Pond Dam UpperSignificantFair15Recreation
Suddreth Pond Dam LowerSignificantFair13Recreation1965
Wells Lake Dam UpperLowFair49Recreation
Wayne Wells DamLowFair41Recreation
Whitmire Lake Dam LowerLowPoor37Recreation1955
Persimmon CreekLowNot Rated33Recreation1942
Wilderness Creek Falls Dam UpperLowFair30Fish and Wildlife Pond2004
Wells Lake Dam LowerLowFair30Recreation
Whitmire Lake Dam UpperLowPoor30Recreation1955
Wilderness Creek Falls Dam LowerLowSatisfactory29Fish and Wildlife Pond2004
Wells Upper (west) DamLowFair28Recreation