Lake Hughes Dam dam
Lake Hughes Dam
Lake Hughes Dam, located in Wake County, North Carolina, was completed in 1948 and serves as a recreational water resource along Beaverdam Creek. The dam, primarily owned by a private entity, stands at a structural height of 35 feet with a hydraulic height of 32 feet, providing a storage capacity of 123 acre-feet. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is currently assessed as being in poor condition as of the last inspection in December 2019.
With a surface area of 7 acres and a maximum discharge capacity of 330 cubic feet per second, Lake Hughes Dam offers opportunities for water-based activities and enjoys state regulation, permitting, and inspection by the North Carolina Dam Safety Program. The dam's purpose is solely for recreation, making it a popular spot for outdoor enthusiasts in the area. Although the dam's condition is deemed poor, its risk assessment and management measures are currently not available, indicating a potential area for further evaluation and improvement.
In the event of an emergency, the dam's Emergency Action Plan status and readiness remain unclear, highlighting the need for updated protocols and guidelines to ensure the safety of surrounding communities. With its historical significance and importance for local recreation, Lake Hughes Dam presents both challenges and opportunities for enhancing water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the region.
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 Lake Hughes Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Neuse River Near Falls | 123 cfs | → |
| Knap Of Reeds Creek Near Butner | 12 cfs | → |
| Ellerbe Creek Near Gorman | 22 cfs | → |
| Tar River Near Tar River | 3 cfs | → |
| Flat River Trib Nr Willardville | 0 cfs | → |
| Flat River At Dam Near Bahama | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Hughes Dam.
Boat launches
- Duck Cove Trail Wake County
- Creedmoor Road 13900, Town Of Wake Forest
- Falls Lake Trail Wake County
- Ledge Rock Boat Ramp, Creedmoor
- Durham County
- Baptist Route 4398, Durham County
Campgrounds
- Holly Point - Falls Lake
- Two Oaks Campground
- Overlook Campground
- Shortleaf Pine Campground
- Shoreline Campground
- Bootleg Point Campground
Track Lake Hughes 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 Lake Hughes Dam
Where does the data for Lake Hughes 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 Lake Hughes Dam.