Dams in McDowell County, North Carolina
37Total Dams
10High Hazard
17Significant
Dam Safety in McDowell County, North Carolina
McDowell County has 37 dams tracked in the National Inventory of Dams. Of these, 10 are classified as high hazard — meaning failure would probably cause loss of human life. Another 17 carry a significant hazard classification. Currently, 4 dams have a condition assessment of poor or unsatisfactory.
The average dam in McDowell County is 51 years old. The most common purpose is flood risk reduction. The tallest dam is Lake Tahoma Dam at 73 ft.
Explore more: Oldest dams in North Carolina · Tallest dams · High risk dams · Largest reservoirs
| Dam | Hazard | Condition | Height (ft) | Purpose | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Tahoma Dam | High | Satisfactory | 73 | Recreation | 1928 |
| Muddy Creek Dam #8 | High | Fair | 62 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1964 |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-15 Dam | High | Satisfactory | 45 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1994 |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-16 Dam | High | Satisfactory | 42 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1994 |
| Phillips Lake Dam | High | Satisfactory | 38 | Recreation | 1902 |
| Marion Manufacturing Dam | High | Poor | 37 | Recreation | |
| Muddy Creek Dam #3 | High | Satisfactory | 36 | Flood Risk Reduction | |
| Muddy Creek Dam | High | Poor | 34 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1975 |
| Camp Grier Dam | High | Fair | 31 | Recreation | 1930 |
| Lady Marion Dam | High | Poor | 26 | Recreation | |
| Muddy Creek Dam #19 | Significant | Satisfactory | 55 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1961 |
| Second Broad River Ws #10a Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 49 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1984 |
| Muddy Creek Dam #16 | Significant | Satisfactory | 46 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1963 |
| Muddy Creek Dam #6-b | Significant | Satisfactory | 42 | Flood Risk Reduction | |
| Lake George Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 37 | Recreation | |
| Muddy Creek Dam #20 | Significant | Satisfactory | 37 | Flood Risk Reduction | |
| Muddy Creek Dam #2-c | Significant | Satisfactory | 37 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1972 |
| Muddy Creek Dam #4 | Significant | Satisfactory | 35 | Flood Risk Reduction | |
| Mckinney Lake Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 29 | Recreation | 1957 |
| Robert Mckinney Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 29 | Recreation | 1985 |
| Old Fort Water Supply Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 25 | Water Supply | |
| Estes Lake Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 25 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | 1973 |
| Kent Brown Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 23 | Recreation | |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-5 Dam | Significant | Fair | 22 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1994 |
| Marimont Lower Dam | Significant | Fair | 20 | Recreation | 1965 |
| Marimont Upper Dam | Significant | Poor | 18 | Recreation | |
| Earley Dam | Significant | Satisfactory | 16 | Recreation | |
| Grandview Peaks East Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 65 | Other | 2012 |
| Grandview Peaks West Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 51 | Other | 2012 |
| Muddy Creek Dam #15 | Low | Satisfactory | 46 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1962 |
| Mckenzie Lake Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 41 | Fish and Wildlife Pond | |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-18a Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 41 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1994 |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-14 Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 38 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1994 |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-20a Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 34 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1994 |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-6a Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 30 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1992 |
| Second Broad River Ws #11-7 Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 25 | Flood Risk Reduction | 1994 |
| Mcentire Dam | Low | Satisfactory | 22 | Recreation | 1977 |