Cherry Ridge Dam dam
Cherry Ridge Dam
Cherry Ridge Dam, located in Forest City, North Carolina, is a privately owned earth dam primarily used for recreation on Puzzle Creek. Completed in 1999, the dam stands at a hydraulic height of 37.5 feet and a structural height of 40 feet, with a length of 450 feet and a storage capacity of 109 acre-feet. The dam's surface area covers 7.86 acres and serves a drainage area of 200 acres.
Despite being privately owned, Cherry Ridge Dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and the Dam Safety Program, with regular inspections ensuring its fair condition and significant hazard potential. The dam's last inspection in March 2020 revealed its operational reliability, with an inspection frequency of every 2 years. While the dam does not have a designated Emergency Action Plan (EAP) prepared, its risk management measures are under continuous evaluation.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Cherry Ridge Dam offers a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of recreation and dam safety in a picturesque setting. With its location in the Nashville District and association with Puzzle Creek, the dam presents a case study for understanding the management of private dams within a regulated framework. Its fair condition and significant hazard potential underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and risk assessment to ensure the safety and resilience of water infrastructure in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Cherry Ridge Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Second Broad River Nr Logan | 30 cfs | → |
| First Broad River Near Casar | 19 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Boiling Springs | 265 cfs | → |
| Jacob Fork At Ramsey | 7 cfs | → |
| Cove Creek Near Lake Lure | 34 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Blacksburg | 321 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cherry Ridge Dam.
Boat launches
- First Broad River Trail Shelby
- John H. Moss Lake Recreation Park
- Lakeshore Drive Cleveland County
- Sandy Ford Road 1925, Chesnee
- Hidden Cove Boat Ramp Mcdowell County
- Canal Bridge Boat Ramp Burke County
Campgrounds
- Murray Branch Campground
- Vein Mountain Gold Camp & Carolina Emerald Mine
- Fox Trail Campground
- Lucky Strike Campground
- Shelby Mission Camp
- Upper Falls Campground
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Benfield Creek
- Mountain Island Park Fishing Access
- Johns Creek Lake
- Sedalia Lake
- Macedonia Lake
Paddle runs
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
- Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary To Linville Gorge Boundary
- Headwaters Above Linville Gap To Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
Track Cherry Ridge 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 Cherry Ridge Dam
Where does the data for Cherry Ridge 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 Cherry Ridge Dam.