Thurlow Lake Dam dam
Thurlow Lake Dam
Thurlow Lake Dam, located in Vass, North Carolina, was completed in 1956 and serves primarily for irrigation purposes. This private-owned earth dam stands at a hydraulic height of 35 feet and a structural height of 38 feet, with a length of 1500 feet. With a normal storage capacity of 396 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 420 acre-feet, Thurlow Lake Dam covers a surface area of 15 acres along Crane Creek.
Despite its crucial role in irrigation, Thurlow Lake Dam presents a high hazard potential and a poor condition assessment as of November 2020. The dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program. With a history of modifications undisclosed, Thurlow Lake Dam remains a significant structure in the Wilmington District, posing a potential risk that requires careful monitoring and management to ensure the safety of the surrounding community.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Thurlow Lake Dam stands as a key feature in the landscape of Moore County, North Carolina, with its strategic location along Crane Creek. Its history, purpose, and condition underscore the importance of maintaining and ensuring the structural integrity of such essential water management infrastructures in the face of changing environmental conditions and increasing water demands. As efforts continue to address the dam's poor condition and high hazard potential, stakeholders and regulators work together to safeguard the community and the environment from the potential risks associated with Thurlow Lake Dam.
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 Thurlow Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Creek Near Inverness | 3 cfs | → |
| Little River At Manchester | 50 cfs | → |
| Drowning Creek Near Hoffman | 38 cfs | → |
| Rockfish Creek At Raeford | 41 cfs | → |
| Deep River At Moncure | 90 cfs | → |
| Buckhorn Creek Nr Corinth | 17 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Thurlow Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Dewberry Drive Whispering Pines
- Shadow Drive 93, Whispering Pines
- Niagara Carthage Road 3326, Whispering Pines
- Carolina Way 956, Harnett County
- Highway 42 1-199, Sanford
- Crosspoint Road 388, New Hill
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Track Thurlow 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 Thurlow Lake Dam
Where does the data for Thurlow 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 Thurlow Lake Dam.