Hancock Lake Dam dam
Hancock Lake Dam
Hancock Lake Dam, located in Granville County, North Carolina, stands as a vital structure for irrigation purposes along Jordan Creek. Built in 1959, this earth dam reaches a hydraulic height of 13 feet and a structural height of 16 feet, with a length of 275 feet. The dam provides a storage capacity of 100 acre-feet, supporting the irrigation needs of the surrounding area.
Despite its age, Hancock Lake Dam has been inspected for safety and remains in a significant hazard potential category. While not currently rated for condition, the dam has not undergone any modifications since its last inspection in 2003. With a normal storage capacity of 83 acre-feet and a drainage area of 5,907 acres, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region.
Owned privately, Hancock Lake Dam serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining and monitoring critical infrastructure for water management and climate resilience. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the role of dams like Hancock Lake in supporting irrigation and water supply is essential for sustainable development and environmental stewardship in the face of changing climate conditions.
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 Hancock Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tar River Near Tar River | 3 cfs | → |
| Knap Of Reeds Creek Near Butner | 9 cfs | → |
| Flat River At Dam Near Bahama | 2 cfs | → |
| Flat River Trib Nr Willardville | 0 cfs | → |
| Flat River At Bahama | 20 cfs | → |
| Tar R At Us 401 At Louisburg | 17 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hancock Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Jack Wade Farm Road Vance County
- Nutbush Road Vance County
- Flemingtown Road 3159, Henderson
- Ivy Hill Road 3198, Mecklenburg County
- 167 County Line Park Rd, Manson, Nc 27553
Campgrounds
- Nutbush Bridge State Rec Area - Kerr Lake
- Satterwhite Pt State Rec Area - Kerr Lake
- Bullocksville State Rec Area - Kerr Lake
- Hibernia State Rec Area - Kerr Lake
- Longwood Rec Area - Kerr Reservoir
- Ivy Hill Rec Area - Kerr Reservoir
Track Hancock 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 Hancock Lake Dam
Where does the data for Hancock 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 Hancock Lake Dam.