Wildcat Lake Dam dam
Wildcat Lake Dam
Wildcat Lake Dam, located in Banner Elk, North Carolina, is a private concrete structure completed in 1920 primarily for recreation purposes. The dam stands at a hydraulic height of 35 feet and a structural height of 36 feet, impounding Wildcat Creek and providing a maximum storage capacity of 202 acre-feet with a normal storage of 168 acre-feet. The dam is state-regulated by the NC Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, ensuring regular inspections and enforcement to maintain its satisfactory condition.
With a high hazard potential, Wildcat Lake Dam is crucial for both water resource management and climate resilience in the region. The dam plays a vital role in providing recreational opportunities while also serving as a critical infrastructure for flood control and water supply management. Its association with Wildcat Creek and its drainage area of 336 square miles highlights its significance in the local ecosystem and water network, making it imperative to prioritize its maintenance and risk management measures to ensure public safety and environmental protection.
Despite its age, Wildcat Lake Dam continues to demonstrate its structural integrity and satisfactory condition as per the most recent assessment in June 2018. With a history dating back to the early 20th century, the dam remains a key feature in the landscape of Avery County, North Carolina, underlining the importance of effective regulation, inspection, and emergency preparedness to mitigate potential risks and ensure the long-term sustainability of this essential water resource infrastructure.
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 Wildcat Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Watauga River Near Sugar Grove | 38 cfs | → |
| Yadkin River At Patterson | 12 cfs | → |
| Doe River At Elizabethton | 293 cfs | → |
| Johns River At Arneys Store | 74 cfs | → |
| Watauga River At Elizabethton | 335 cfs | → |
| Linville River Near Nebo | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wildcat Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Price Lake Trail Watauga County
- Moody Circle Carter County
- Sink Mountain Launch Road Johnson County
- Roby Green Road Watauga County
- Us 321;Sr 67 Carter County
- Stuart Williams Road Watauga County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Watauga Reservoir To Tn/Nc State Line
- Headwaters Above Linville Gap To Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary
- Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary To Linville Gorge Boundary
- Headwaters To Tn/Va State Line
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
More reservoirs
Track Wildcat 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 Wildcat Lake Dam
Where does the data for Wildcat 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 Wildcat Lake Dam.