Forest Lake Dam dam
Forest Lake Dam
Forest Lake Dam, also known as Lake Point Pond Dam, is a private dam located in Mecklenburg, North Carolina, near the city of Charlotte. This earth dam has a hydraulic height of 14.5 feet and a structural height of 15 feet, with a length of 500 feet. The dam serves a primary purpose of recreation and has a storage capacity of 60 acre-feet, providing a surface area of 8.8 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy.
The dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safety and compliance. Despite its satisfactory condition assessment as of December 2019, the dam is classified as having a high hazard potential. Emergency action plans are in place, with the last revision dated March 2018, to address any potential risks and ensure public safety in case of emergencies.
With its location along the Mcalpine Creek-Tr river/stream, Forest Lake Dam stands as a recreational attraction in the area, offering opportunities for boating, fishing, and other water-based activities. Enthusiasts interested in water resources and climate will find this dam an intriguing example of how private owners and state agencies work together to manage and regulate water infrastructure for both recreational and safety purposes in North Carolina.
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 Forest Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Campbell Creek Nr Charlotte | 0 cfs | → |
| Mcalpine Creek At Sr3150 Nr Idlewild | 0 cfs | → |
| Irvins Creek At Sr3168 Nr Charlotte | 0 cfs | → |
| Briar Creek Near Charlotte | 1 cfs | → |
| Reedy Creek At Sr 2803 Nr Charlotte | · | → |
| Mcalpine Cr At Sardis Road Near Charlotte | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Forest Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Neck Road 5744, Huntersville
- Wilkinson Boulevard Belmont
- East Charlotte Avenue Downtown
- Riverbend Boat Ramp
- Soldier Road 15299, Mecklenburg County
- Copperhead Island Mecklenburg County
Campgrounds
- Sign Language
- Mcdowell Nature Preserve
- Ebenezer County Park
- Williams Farm
- Cane Creek Park
- Andrew Jackson State Park
Fishing spots
- Mountain Island Park Fishing Access
- Buck Branch
- Abbotts Creek
- Arrowhead Lake
- Badin Lake Lakemont Rd
- Buddle Branch
Track Forest 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 Forest Lake Dam
Where does the data for Forest 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 Forest Lake Dam.