Bass Lake Dam dam
Bass Lake Dam
Bass Lake Dam, located in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, was completed in 1936 by the National Park Service for the primary purpose of creating a fish and wildlife pond. This Earth-type dam stands at a height of 40 feet and has a storage capacity of 380 acre-feet. Although the dam is not regulated by the state, it is inspected by the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure its safety and integrity.
The dam has a high hazard potential, indicating the potential consequences of a failure could be severe. Despite the lack of recent condition assessments, the National Park Service, which owns and operates the dam, has an Emergency Action Plan in place to respond to any potential emergencies. The last inspection of Bass Lake Dam was conducted in 2005, and the dam is designed to withstand maximum discharges with a spillway width of 0 feet.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Bass Lake Dam offers a fascinating study in the intersection of human engineering and environmental conservation. The dam serves as a vital habitat for fish and wildlife, while also posing potential risks that must be carefully managed. As climate change continues to impact water resources, understanding the role of dams like Bass Lake in mitigating environmental threats becomes increasingly important.
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 Bass Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Watauga River Near Sugar Grove | 38 cfs | → |
| Yadkin River At Patterson | 12 cfs | → |
| Elk Creek At Elkville | 23 cfs | → |
| Johns River At Arneys Store | 72 cfs | → |
| South Fork New River Near Jefferson | 124 cfs | → |
| Linville River Near Nebo | 17 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bass Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Price Lake Trail Watauga County
- Roby Green Road Watauga County
- Stuart Williams Road Watauga County
- River Road Watauga County
- Big Hill Road Watauga County
- Castle Ford Road Ashe County
Campgrounds
- Old Johns River Road
- Price Park Campground
- Honey Bear Campground
- Julian Price - Blue Ridge Parkway
- Goshen Creek
- Julian Price
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Watauga Reservoir To Tn/Nc State Line
- Headwaters Above Linville Gap To Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary
- Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary To Linville Gorge Boundary
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Headwaters To Tn/Va State Line
Track Bass 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 Bass Lake Dam
Where does the data for Bass 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 Bass Lake Dam.