Echo Lake Dam dam
Echo Lake Dam
Echo Lake Dam, located in Fairview, North Carolina, along the serene Cane Creek, is a privately owned structure with a primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1966, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 43 feet, with a hydraulic height of 38.2 feet, creating a storage capacity of 185 acre-feet. The dam spans a length of 250 feet and covers a surface area of 10.5 acres, drawing water from a drainage area of 303 square miles.
Despite its fair condition assessment as of 2016, Echo Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential, emphasizing the need for regular inspections and maintenance to ensure public safety. The dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, with enforcement and permitting processes in place. The last inspection in 2016 indicated a need for ongoing monitoring and potential risk management measures to mitigate any hazards associated with the dam.
With its picturesque location and recreational significance, Echo Lake Dam serves as a vital water resource for the surrounding area, offering opportunities for leisure activities and enjoyment of the natural environment. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the maintenance and management of dams like Echo Lake Dam are crucial to ensure the safety and sustainability of these vital structures for future generations of water and climate enthusiasts.
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 Echo Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Beetree Creek Near Swannanoa | 2 cfs | → |
| North Fork Swannanoa River Near Walkertown | 7 cfs | → |
| Swannanoa River At Biltmore | 23 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Asheville | 553 cfs | → |
| French Broad River Near Fletcher | 447 cfs | → |
| Cove Creek Near Lake Lure | 33 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Echo Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Memorial Highway 2693, Lake Lure
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Houseboat Lane 299, Mcdowell County
- Redmon Road Madison County
- Hidden Cove Boat Ramp Mcdowell County
- Canal Bridge Boat Ramp Burke County
Campgrounds
- Creekside Mountain Camping
- Catawba Falls Campground, Llc
- Blue Ridge Parkway Tent
- Curtis Creek Campground
- Curtis Creek
- Bpw
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Nolichucky River
- Dillard Place
Paddle runs
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
Track Echo 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 Echo Lake Dam
Where does the data for Echo 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 Echo Lake Dam.