Laurel Lake Dam dam
Laurel Lake Dam
Laurel Lake Dam, also known as McGaha Dam, is a privately owned structure located in Boylston, North Carolina. Built in 1963, this earth dam serves primarily for recreation purposes, with a hydraulic height of 38 feet and a structural height of 45 feet. The dam has a storage capacity of 166 acre-feet, providing ample water resources for the surrounding area. Situated on Sutton Creek, the dam offers a serene setting for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy activities like boating, fishing, and swimming.
Despite its recreational benefits, Laurel Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential and is classified as being in fair condition, as of the last assessment in May 2018. The dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, ensuring that it meets state inspection and enforcement standards. With a capacity to store 166 acre-feet of water and a surface area of 8 acres, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region while providing a picturesque backdrop for visitors to enjoy.
With its close proximity to Nashville District and oversight by state agencies like NCDEQ, Laurel Lake Dam stands as a vital structure in Transylvania County. The dam's critical role in water management, combined with its recreational appeal, underscores the importance of ongoing maintenance and monitoring to ensure public safety and environmental sustainability. As climate and water resource enthusiasts explore the area, Laurel Lake Dam serves as a focal point for appreciating the intersection of human infrastructure and natural beauty in North Carolina's diverse landscape.
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 Laurel Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| French Broad River At Blantyre | 260 cfs | → |
| Davidson River Near Brevard | 32 cfs | → |
| Mills River Near Mills River | 49 cfs | → |
| French Broad River Near Fletcher | 447 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Rosman | 56 cfs | → |
| Middle Saluda River Near Cleveland | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Laurel Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Pisgah Forest Access Brevard
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Canada Road 14091, Tuckasegee
- North Lakeshore Drive 103, Haywood County
- Memorial Highway 2693, Lake Lure
Campgrounds
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Davidson River Campground
- Davidson River
- White Pines Group Campground
- Wf-3
- North Mills River
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bear Creek Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Presbyterian Lake
Paddle runs
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- 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
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
Track Laurel 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 Laurel Lake Dam
Where does the data for Laurel 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 Laurel Lake Dam.