Upper Ferree Dam dam
Upper Ferree Dam
Upper Ferree Dam, located in Randolph County, North Carolina, serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock, and small fish pond management. This private dam, standing at a hydraulic height of 23.1 feet and a structural height of 26.7 feet, holds a normal storage capacity of 46.2 acre-feet and a maximum storage capacity of 53.4 acre-feet. With a surface area of 5 acres and a length of 645 feet, Upper Ferree Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and conservation in the region.
Operated by a private entity, Upper Ferree Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by various state agencies such as the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and the Dam Safety Program. Despite its low hazard potential and satisfactory condition assessment, the dam undergoes regular inspections every 5 years to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The last inspection in January 2018 deemed the dam to be in good condition, highlighting its importance in maintaining water quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem health in the Little Polecat Creek watershed.
With its strategic location and significant impact on the surrounding environment, Upper Ferree Dam serves as a vital infrastructure for water supply, wildlife habitat, and disaster prevention in the region. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is essential to monitor and support the maintenance of such dams to sustainably manage water resources, mitigate climate change effects, and protect the natural ecosystems that depend on them.
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 Upper Ferree Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Creek Below Us 220 At Greensboro | 0 cfs | → |
| South Buffalo Creek At Us 220 At Greensboro | 2 cfs | → |
| South Buffalo Cr Near Greensboro | 3 cfs | → |
| Rocky R At Sr1300 Nr Crutchfield Crossroads | 2 cfs | → |
| Deep River At Ramseur | 13 cfs | → |
| South Buffalo Creek Nr Pomona | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Upper Ferree Dam.
Boat launches
- Homeview Road Burlington
- Haw River Trail Alamance County
- Graham Paddle Access Graham
- Lakeview Drive Alamance County
- Island Trail Alamance County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Track Upper Ferree 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 Upper Ferree Dam
Where does the data for Upper Ferree 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 Low 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 Upper Ferree Dam.