Pied Piper Dam Lower dam
Pied Piper Dam Lower
Pied Piper Dam Lower, located in the picturesque town of Hiawassee Village in Cherokee County, North Carolina, is a privately owned recreational dam completed in 1975. With a hydraulic height of 36 feet and a structural height of 41 feet, the dam serves the primary purpose of recreation, offering a serene spot for water resource and climate enthusiasts to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding Persimmon Creek-Tr river.
Despite its scenic appeal, Pied Piper Dam Lower poses a high hazard potential and has been assessed to be in poor condition as of July 2017. The dam has a storage capacity of 65 acre-feet and a drainage area of 139 square miles, making it an important structure for water management in the region. However, with its last inspection in 2017 and a frequency of every 2 years, there are concerns about its long-term safety and maintenance.
As part of the Dam Safety Program regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the dam is subject to state jurisdiction, permitting, inspection, and enforcement. With its proximity to the Nashville District of the US Army Corps of Engineers, Pied Piper Dam Lower plays a crucial role in the local water resource infrastructure while also providing a recreational outlet for visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the area.
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 Pied Piper Dam Lower -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ocoee River At Copperhill | 379 cfs | → |
| Valley River At Tomotla | 87 cfs | → |
| Toccoa River Near Dial | 241 cfs | → |
| Nottely River Near Blairsville | 60 cfs | → |
| Tellico River At Tellico Plains | 94 cfs | → |
| Cartecay River Near Ellijay | 138 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pied Piper Dam Lower.
Boat launches
- Micken Branch Cherokee County
- Ramsey Bend South Cherokee County
- Hanging Dog Campground Road 1881, Murphy
- Joe Brown Highway 8240, Murphy
- Hiwassee Dam Access Road 4692, Murphy
- Nottely Dam Road Union County
Campgrounds
- Poteete Creek
- Hanging Dog
- Morganton Point
- Morganton Point Campground
- Tumbling Creek Campground
- Tumbling Creek
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Headwaters Near Graham County Line To Nc/Tn State Line
- Headwaters Near Mitchell Lick To Owlcamp Branch
- Tn/Nc State Line (Rm 48.0) To Tn360 Bridge (Rm 30.0)
- Owlcamp Branch To Polecat Branch
- Southern Boundary Cohutta Wilderness Near Peter Cove To Northern Boundary Cohutta Wilderness Near Alaculsy
- Northern Boundary Cohutta Wilderness To Confluence With Conasauga River
Track Pied Piper Dam Lower 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 Pied Piper Dam Lower
Where does the data for Pied Piper Dam Lower 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 Pied Piper Dam Lower.