Hemlock Lake Dam dam
Hemlock Lake Dam
Hemlock Lake Dam, also known as Trout Lake Dam, is a private structure located in Sherwood Forest, North Carolina. Completed in 1937, this concrete buttress dam stands at a structural height of 25 feet and serves primarily for recreational purposes. Situated on Morgan Creek, the dam boasts a hydraulic height of 23 feet and a capacity to hold 40 acre-feet of water, with a normal storage of 37 acre-feet.
Despite its fair condition assessment as of March 2020, Hemlock Lake Dam is classified as having a high hazard potential. It is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Energy, Mineral, and Land Resources, Dam Safety Program, ensuring that regular inspections and enforcement measures are in place. The dam's emergency action plan preparation and compliance with guidelines, as well as the availability of inundation maps for risk assessment, are factors that remain undisclosed in the available data.
In the picturesque setting of Transylvania County, Hemlock Lake Dam stands as a vital recreational asset, providing both enjoyment and the responsibility of risk management for the community. Its history and design showcase the intersection of water resource management and climate resilience, making it a focal point for enthusiasts seeking to understand the intricate balance between human activity and natural forces.
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 Hemlock Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| South Saluda River Near Cleveland | 5 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Rosman | 56 cfs | → |
| Middle Saluda River Near Cleveland | 18 cfs | → |
| Davidson River Near Brevard | 32 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Blantyre | 260 cfs | → |
| Mills River Near Mills River | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hemlock Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Pisgah Forest Access Brevard
- Cabin Road 398, Pickens County
- Canada Road 14091, Tuckasegee
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Crow Creek Access Road Pickens County
Campgrounds
- Black Forest Family Camping Resort
- Camp Burgess Glen Lake
- Kuykendall Group Campground
- Cantrell Campsite
- Table Rock State Park
- Davidson River Recreation Area
Fishing spots
- Bear Creek Lake
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Presbyterian Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
Paddle runs
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- Yellowstone Prong From Headwaters To Confluence With East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
Track Hemlock Lake Dam 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 Hemlock Lake Dam
Where does the data for Hemlock Lake Dam 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 Hemlock Lake Dam.