Willow Valley Lake Dam dam
Willow Valley Lake Dam
Willow Valley Lake Dam, located in Henderson, North Carolina, is a privately owned structure that serves the primary purpose of recreation. Built in 1967, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 16.5 feet with a hydraulic height of 15.9 feet, holding a maximum storage capacity of 35 acre-feet. The dam is situated on South Fork Creek within the Wilmington District, and its reservoir covers a surface area of 5 acres, providing a picturesque setting for outdoor activities in the Bowman Bluff area.
Despite being privately owned, Willow Valley Lake Dam is subject to state regulations, inspections, and enforcement by the North Carolina Dam Safety Program under the NC Department of Environmental Quality. The dam has been deemed to have a significant hazard potential, but its condition was assessed as satisfactory during the last inspection in May 2014. With a regular inspection frequency of every two years, the dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and management measures remain unspecified, indicating a potential area for improvement in ensuring the safety and resilience of the structure for water resource and climate enthusiasts to monitor and advocate for.
As a key feature in the local landscape, Willow Valley Lake Dam presents a valuable recreational resource while also highlighting the importance of ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and risk management practices to ensure the safety of downstream communities and the sustainability of water resources in the region. With its significant hazard potential and regulatory oversight, this earth dam serves as a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts to engage with state agencies, advocate for improved dam safety measures, and promote sustainable management practices to mitigate risks and enhance the resilience of water infrastructure in North Carolina.
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 Willow Valley Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| French Broad River At Blantyre | 260 cfs | → |
| Mills River Near Mills River | 49 cfs | → |
| Davidson River Near Brevard | 32 cfs | → |
| French Broad River Near Fletcher | 447 cfs | → |
| Middle Saluda River Near Cleveland | 18 cfs | → |
| South Saluda River Near Cleveland | 5 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Willow Valley Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Pisgah Forest Access Brevard
- Memorial Highway 2693, Lake Lure
- J. Verne Smith Park (Lake Robinson)
- Canada Road 14091, Tuckasegee
Campgrounds
- North Mills River Campground
- North Mills River
- Davidson River Recreation Area
- Davidson River Campground
- Davidson River
- White Pines Group Campground
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bear Creek Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Presbyterian Lake
Paddle runs
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf 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
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
Track Willow Valley 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 Willow Valley Lake Dam
Where does the data for Willow Valley 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 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 Willow Valley Lake Dam.