Century Park Lake Dam dam
Century Park Lake Dam
Century Park Lake Dam, located in Forsyth, North Carolina, is a local government-owned structure that serves primarily for recreational purposes. The dam regulates Smith Creek and stands at a hydraulic height of 16.8 feet and a structural height of 26.2 feet. With a normal storage capacity of 20 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 39 acre-feet, the dam covers a surface area of 5 acres and drains a watershed area of 388 square miles.
Despite its fair condition assessment as of March 2021, Century Park Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential, emphasizing the need for regular inspections and maintenance. The dam is under the regulatory oversight of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, ensuring state jurisdiction, permitting, inspection, and enforcement. With a history of periodic inspections and a designated emergency action plan, Century Park Lake Dam remains a crucial infrastructure for water resource management and climate resilience in the region.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, the intricacies of Century Park Lake Dam offer an insightful look into the intersection of recreational infrastructure and environmental stewardship. The dam's role in regulating water flow and storage, coupled with its maintenance and regulatory framework, highlights the importance of sustainable dam management to mitigate risks and ensure public safety. By understanding the complexities of structures like Century Park Lake Dam, enthusiasts can contribute to the ongoing dialogue surrounding water resource management and climate adaptation strategies in a changing world.
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 Century Park Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Reedy Fork Near Oak Ridge | 3 cfs | → |
| East Fork Deep River Near High Point | 2 cfs | → |
| Horsepen Creek At Us 220 Nr Greensboro | 1 cfs | → |
| South Buffalo Creek Nr Pomona | 1 cfs | → |
| Dan R At Pine Hall | 140 cfs | → |
| N Buffalo Cr At Westover Terrace At Greensboro | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Century Park Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Belews Lake Drive 8191, Belews Creek
- Pine Hall Road 2547-2793, Walnut Cove
- Lake Thom-A-Lex Park
- Us Bus 220 Boat Access Stoneville
- Nc Highway 801 South 5877, Mocksville
- Homeview Road Burlington
Campgrounds
- Oak Hollow City Campground
- Tanglewood Park
- Sunset Park Campground
- Hanging Rock State Park
- Hagan-Stone Park
- Ymca Camp Hanes
Fishing spots
Track Century Park 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 Century Park Lake Dam
Where does the data for Century Park 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 Century Park Lake Dam.