Thunder Lake dam
Thunder Lake
Thunder Lake, located in Cedar Mountain, North Carolina, is a privately-owned reservoir on Clear Creek primarily used for recreation. Built in 1962, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 42 feet with a hydraulic height of 37.5 feet, offering a storage capacity of 870 acre-feet. The dam's purpose is to provide recreational opportunities, with a surface area of 40 acres for visitors to enjoy.
Despite its fair condition assessment from a 2014 inspection, Thunder Lake is classified as having a high hazard potential. The dam is regulated by the North Carolina Dam Safety Program, with state-permitted inspections and enforcement to ensure its safety and compliance. The last inspection took place in May 2014, with a frequency of every two years, indicating ongoing efforts to monitor and maintain the dam.
Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Thunder Lake an intriguing site for its recreational offerings and the careful regulatory oversight it receives. With its scenic location in Transylvania County and its importance for both leisure and safety, Thunder Lake stands as a testament to the balance between human enjoyment of natural resources and the need for responsible management in the face of potential hazards.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Thunder Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Saluda River Near Cleveland | 24 cfs | → |
| Middle Saluda River Near Cleveland | 15 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Rosman | 63 cfs | → |
| Davidson River Near Brevard | 38 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Blantyre | 283 cfs | → |
| Mills River Near Mills River | 53 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thunder Lake.
Boat launches
- Pisgah Forest Access Brevard
- Cabin Road 398, Pickens County
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Crow Creek Access Road Pickens County
- Canada Road 14091, Tuckasegee
Campgrounds
- Black Forest Family Camping Resort
- Camp Burgess Glen Lake
- Table Rock State Park
- Cantrell Campsite
- Kuykendall Group Campground
- Pleasant Ridge County Park
Fishing spots
- Bear Creek Lake
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Presbyterian Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
Paddle runs
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- Yellowstone Prong From Headwaters To Confluence With East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
More reservoirs
Track Thunder Lake in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Thunder Lake
Where does the data for Thunder Lake come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the High hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Thunder Lake.