Golden Pond Dam dam
Golden Pond Dam
Golden Pond Dam, also known as Bowden Dam, is a private-owned structure located in Granville, North Carolina. Built in 1955, the dam serves primarily for recreational purposes along the Robertson Creek-Tr river. Standing at a hydraulic height of 15 feet and a structural height of 20.5 feet, it has a length of 450 feet and a storage capacity of 20 acre-feet. The dam's hazard potential is deemed significant, with a fair condition assessment as of the last inspection in January 2019.
Managed by the North Carolina Dam Safety Program, the dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. With a normal storage capacity of 9 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 153 cubic feet per second, Golden Pond Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management in the region. Despite its age, the dam continues to provide valuable recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike, showcasing the intersection of water resource management and climate resilience.
As enthusiasts of water resources and climate, Golden Pond Dam presents a fascinating case study of a privately-owned earth dam with a significant hazard potential yet fair condition assessment. Its presence along the Robertson Creek-Tr river not only contributes to the local landscape but also highlights the importance of proper dam management and maintenance in ensuring public safety and environmental sustainability. With continued oversight from state regulatory agencies and periodic inspections, Golden Pond Dam stands as a testament to the delicate balance between water resource utilization and climate adaptation in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Golden Pond Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tar River Near Tar River | 3 cfs | → |
| Knap Of Reeds Creek Near Butner | 9 cfs | → |
| Flat River At Dam Near Bahama | 2 cfs | → |
| Flat River Trib Nr Willardville | 0 cfs | → |
| Ellerbe Creek Near Gorman | 26 cfs | → |
| Little R Bl Little R Trib At Fairntosh | 49 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Golden Pond Dam.
Boat launches
- Ledge Rock Boat Ramp, Creedmoor
- Duck Cove Trail Wake County
- Creedmoor Road 13900, Town Of Wake Forest
- Baptist Route 4398, Durham County
- Hickory Hill Boat Ramp
- Falls Lake Trail Wake County
Campgrounds
- Holly Point - Falls Lake
- Redwood Campsite
- Two Oaks Campground
- Overlook Campground
- Shortleaf Pine Campground
- Shoreline Campground
Track Golden Pond 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 Golden Pond Dam
Where does the data for Golden Pond 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 Significant 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 Golden Pond Dam.