Spring Valley Dam dam
Spring Valley Dam
Spring Valley Dam, located in Orange, North Carolina, was completed in 1985 and serves as a recreational site for water and climate enthusiasts. This earth dam stands at a structural height of 26 feet with a hydraulic height of 20 feet, providing a storage capacity of 22 acre-feet. The dam's primary purpose is for recreation, offering a surface area of 1.4 acres for visitors to enjoy.
Despite its fair condition assessment and high hazard potential, the Spring Valley Dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) Dam Safety Program. The dam is subject to regular inspections, with the last assessment conducted in February 2020. The dam has a state permit for operation, inspection, and enforcement, ensuring the safety and maintenance of this vital water resource.
With its location along Bolin Creek, Spring Valley Dam plays a crucial role in water management and recreational activities in the region. Enthusiasts interested in water resources and climate will find this dam to be an intriguing site, offering both recreational opportunities and a glimpse into the regulatory measures in place to ensure its safety and sustainability.
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 Spring Valley Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan Creek Near White Cross | 0 cfs | → |
| Morgan Creek Near Chapel Hill | 9 cfs | → |
| New Hope Creek Near Blands | 10 cfs | → |
| Cane Creek Near Orange Grove | 0 cfs | → |
| Eno River At Hillsborough | 6 cfs | → |
| Northeast Creek At Sr1100 Nr Genlee | 9 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Spring Valley Dam.
Boat launches
- Ferrington Boat Ramp, Chapel Hill
- Dimmocks Mill Road 920, Town Of Hillsborough
- Lakeview Drive Alamance County
- Hanks Chapel Road 2765, Town Of Pittsboro
- Haw River Trail Alamance County
- Lake Trail Wake County
Campgrounds
- Parkers Creek State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Crosswinds State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Poplar Point State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Redwood Campsite
- William B. Umstead State Park
- Rolling View - Falls Lake
Fishing spots
Track Spring Valley 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 Spring Valley Dam
Where does the data for Spring Valley 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 Spring Valley Dam.