Hydroelectric Dams in North Carolina
North Carolina has 76 hydroelectric dams, of which 43 carry a high hazard classification. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity.
| # | Dam | County | Height (ft) | Hazard | Condition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nantahala | Macon | 250 | High | Satisfactory | 1942 |
| 2 | Cheoah | Graham | 236 | High | Satisfactory | 1919 |
| 3 | Santeetlah | Graham | 216 | High | Poor | 1928 |
| 4 | Bear Creek | Jackson | 215 | High | Satisfactory | 1954 |
| 5 | Walters | Haywood | 208 | High | Satisfactory | 1929 |
| 6 | Wolf Creek | Jackson | 178 | High | Satisfactory | 1955 |
| 7 | Cedar Cliff | Jackson | 173 | High | Fair | 1952 |
| 8 | Paddy Creek Embankment | Burke | 165 | High | Satisfactory | 1919 |
| 9 | Linville | Burke | 160 | High | Satisfactory | 1919 |
| 10 | Catawba | Burke | 150 | High | Satisfactory | 1919 |
| 11 | Apalachia Dam | Cherokee | 150 | High | Not Available | 1943 |
| 12 | Thorpe | Jackson | 150 | High | Satisfactory | 1941 |
| 13 | Mountain Island | Gaston | 140 | High | Fair | 1923 |
| 14 | Cowans Ford | Mecklenburg | 134 | High | Satisfactory | 1963 |
| 15 | Tuxedo Hydroelectric Dam | Henderson | 129 | High | Satisfactory | 1920 |
| 16 | Lake Lure Dam | Rutherford | 124 | High | Fair | 1927 |
| 17 | Oxford | Alexander | 122 | High | Fair | 1928 |
| 18 | Yadkin Falls | Montgomery | 120 | High | Fair | 1919 |
| 19 | Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant Main Dam | Chatham | 108 | Significant | 1983 | |
| 20 | Lake Julian Dam | Buncombe | 106 | High | Satisfactory | 1962 |
| 21 | High Rock | Rowan | 96 | High | Satisfactory | 1927 |
| 22 | Lookout Shoals | Catawba | 88 | High | Satisfactory | 1915 |
| 23 | Yadkin Narrows Bypass Spillway Control Structure | Montgomery | 88 | High | Poor | 1917 |
| 24 | Turner Shoals Dam | Polk | 87 | High | Poor | 1925 |
| 25 | Tuckertown | Stanly | 80 | High | Satisfactory | 1962 |
| 26 | Queens Creek | Macon | 78 | High | Satisfactory | 1949 |
| 27 | Blewett Falls | Anson | 77 | High | Satisfactory | 1912 |
| 28 | Rhodhiss | Caldwell | 72 | High | Satisfactory | 1925 |
| 29 | Roanoke Rapids | Northampton | 72 | High | Poor | 1955 |
| 30 | Tuckasegee | Jackson | 64 | High | Satisfactory | 1950 |
| 31 | Ivy River | Madison | 63 | Low | Satisfactory | 1918 |
| 32 | Mission | Clay | 50 | High | Fair | 1924 |
| 33 | Rink Lake Dam | Alexander | 48 | Significant | Fair | 1917 |
| 34 | Eury | Montgomery | 48 | Low | Satisfactory | 1916 |
| 35 | Bryson | Swain | 45 | High | Fair | 1925 |
| 36 | Millersville Dam | Alexander | 40 | Low | Not Rated | |
| 37 | Tuxedo Saddle Dam | Henderson | 40 | High | Satisfactory | |
| 38 | Henry River Dam | Burke | 38 | High | Unsatisfactory | 1902 |
| 39 | Marshall | Madison | 37 | Low | Satisfactory | 1911 |
| 40 | Franklin | Macon | 36 | Low | Satisfactory | 1925 |
| 41 | High Shoals | Gaston | 35 | Low | Satisfactory | 1922 |
| 42 | Little River | Montgomery | 31 | Low | Satisfactory | 1919 |
| 43 | Cone Mills Dam | Rutherford | 31 | Low | Unsatisfactory | 1900 |
| 44 | Lockville - Canal Embankment | Chatham | 30 | Low | Satisfactory | 1830 |
| 45 | Raeford Dam | Cumberland | 30 | High | Satisfactory | 1914 |
| 46 | Hicks Crossroad Dike | Mecklenburg | 30 | High | Satisfactory | 1963 |
| 47 | Roberdel Lake Dam | Richmond | 30 | Significant | Not Rated | |
| 48 | Saxapahaw | Alamance | 28 | Significant | Satisfactory | 1938 |
| 49 | Cox Lake | Randolph | 28 | Significant | Satisfactory | 1918 |
| 50 | Bailes Old Millpond Dam | Guilford | 26 | Low | Fair | |
| 51 | Avalon - Canal Embankment | Rockingham | 26 | Low | Satisfactory | 1900 |
| 52 | Burlington Mills Dam | Rutherford | 26 | Significant | 1900 | |
| 53 | Glenville Saddle Dike | Jackson | 25 | High | Satisfactory | 1941 |
| 54 | Sequoyah Dam | Macon | 25 | High | Fair | 1926 |
| 55 | Spencer Mountain | Gaston | 24 | Low | Satisfactory | 1905 |
| 56 | Coolemee | Rowan | 23 | Low | Satisfactory | 1902 |
| 57 | Little Dam | Caldwell | 22 | High | ||
| 58 | Mayo | Rockingham | 22 | Low | Satisfactory | 1898 |
| 59 | Rhyne Mills Dam #1 | Lincoln | 20 | Low | Fair | |
| 60 | Wolf Creek Gated Spillway And 2 Fuseplugs | Jackson | 19 | High | Satisfactory | 1955 |
| 61 | East Fork (tannasee Creek) - Dam, Gated Spillway And 2 Fuseplugs | Jackson | 19 | High | Satisfactory | 1955 |
| 62 | Glen Raven Altamahaw Dam | Alamance | 18 | Low | Not Rated | |
| 63 | Bynum | Chatham | 18 | Significant | Satisfactory | 1874 |
| 64 | Hardins | Gaston | 17 | Low | Satisfactory | 1895 |
| 65 | Dicks Creek Dam | Macon | 16 | Low | Satisfactory | 1942 |
| 66 | White Oak Creek Dam | Macon | 16 | Low | Satisfactory | 1942 |
| 67 | Coleridge | Randolph | 15 | Low | Satisfactory | 1913 |
| 68 | Gaston - North Saddle | Northampton | 14 | High | Satisfactory | 1963 |
| 69 | Craggy Dam | Buncombe | 13 | Low | Satisfactory | 1904 |
| 70 | Spencer Mountain-canal Embankment | Gaston | 13 | Low | Satisfactory | 1905 |
| 71 | Long Shoals Lake Dam | Lincoln | 13 | Low | Fair | 1901 |
| 72 | Tillery - Saddle Dike | Stanly | 10 | Low | Satisfactory | |
| 73 | Capitola | Madison | 9 | Low | Satisfactory | 1910 |
| 74 | Mcadenville | Gaston | 8 | Low | Satisfactory | 1888 |
| 75 | Gaston - South Saddle | Halifax | 7 | High | Satisfactory | 1963 |
| 76 | Paddy Creek Chute Spillway | Burke | 1 | High | Satisfactory | 1919 |
← All dams in North Carolina · Hydroelectric Dams nationwide