Old Fort Water Supply Dam dam
Old Fort Water Supply Dam
The Old Fort Water Supply Dam, located in McDowell County, North Carolina, is a vital structure for providing water to the community of Old Fort. This concrete dam on Mill Creek has a hydraulic height of 25 feet and a structural height of 25 feet, with a storage capacity of 30 acre-feet. The dam is owned by a private entity and is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program.
The dam's primary purpose is water supply, and it is classified as having a significant hazard potential with a satisfactory condition assessment as of the last inspection in 2018. The dam does not have a spillway or outlet gates, indicating a simpler design compared to other dams. Despite its smaller size and capacity, the Old Fort Water Supply Dam plays a crucial role in ensuring water availability for the local community and highlights the importance of maintaining and regulating dams for water resource management and climate resilience.
With its location in a picturesque setting near Old Fort, North Carolina, this dam serves as a reminder of the intersection between infrastructure, water resources, and environmental stewardship. As climate change continues to impact water availability and quality, the Old Fort Water Supply Dam stands as a testament to the ongoing efforts to manage and protect our vital water resources for future generations.
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 Old Fort Water Supply Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Swannanoa River Near Walkertown | 9 cfs | → |
| Catawba R Nr Pleasant Gardens | 59 cfs | → |
| Beetree Creek Near Swannanoa | 3 cfs | → |
| South Toe River Near Celo | 42 cfs | → |
| Cove Creek Near Lake Lure | 36 cfs | → |
| Swannanoa River At Biltmore | 29 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Old Fort Water Supply Dam.
Boat launches
- Houseboat Lane 299, Mcdowell County
- Memorial Highway 2693, Lake Lure
- Hidden Cove Boat Ramp Mcdowell County
- Canal Bridge Boat Ramp Burke County
- Linville Boat Ramp
- Hooper Lane Mills River
Campgrounds
- Catawba Falls Campground, Llc
- Curtis Creek Campground
- Curtis Creek
- Blue Ridge Parkway Tent
- Bpw
- Briar Bottom Campground
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Nolichucky River
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Dillard Place
Paddle runs
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary To Linville Gorge Boundary
- Boundary Between Mitchell And Yancy Counties To Nc/Tn Stateline
- Headwaters Above Linville Gap To Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
Track Old Fort Water Supply 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 Old Fort Water Supply Dam
Where does the data for Old Fort Water Supply 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 Old Fort Water Supply Dam.