Cane Creek Lake Dam dam
Cane Creek Lake Dam
Cane Creek Lake Dam, also known as Cane Creek Watershed Dam 3a, is a significant earth dam located in Union, North Carolina. Built in 1974 by the USDA NRCS, this dam serves as a crucial flood risk reduction infrastructure along the Cane Creek river. With a hydraulic height of 33 feet and a structural height of 45 feet, this dam plays a key role in protecting the surrounding areas from potential flooding events.
The primary purpose of Cane Creek Lake Dam is flood risk reduction, although it also serves as a recreational area for local residents. With a storage capacity of 6030 acre-feet and a surface area of 308 acres, this dam provides essential water resource management for the region. Despite being classified as having a significant hazard potential, the dam is currently assessed to be in fair condition as of the last inspection in November 2019.
Managed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cane Creek Lake Dam is regulated by the NCDEQ Dam Safety Program and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its structural integrity. With a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, this dam remains a crucial asset in protecting the local community from potential flood risks while also providing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike.
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 Cane Creek Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Waxhaw Creek At Sr1103 Near Jackson | 1 cfs | → |
| Catawba River Below Catawba | 985 cfs | → |
| Four Mile Creek Near Pineville | 4 cfs | → |
| Mcalpine Cr Below Mcmullen Cr Nr Pineville | 11 cfs | → |
| Catawba River Near Rockhill | 814 cfs | → |
| Fishing Creek Below Fort Lawn | 41 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cane Creek Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Catawba Nation Greenway Trail York County
- Lancaster County
- Waterford Trail Rock Hill
- Piedmont Medical Center Trail York County
- New Gray Rock Road Tega Cay
- Green Road Lancaster County
Campgrounds
- Cane Creek Park
- Andrew Jackson State Park
- Williams Farm
- Sign Language
- Ebenezer County Park
- Mcdowell Nature Preserve
Fishing spots
- Buck Branch
- Mountain Island Park Fishing Access
- Arrowhead Lake
- Blewett Falls Lake Grassy Island
- Pittman Lake
- Baldwins Pond
Paddle runs
Track Cane Creek 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 Cane Creek Lake Dam
Where does the data for Cane Creek 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 Cane Creek Lake Dam.