Arrowood Lake Dam dam
Arrowood Lake Dam
Arrowood Lake Dam, located in Gastonia, North Carolina, serves as a crucial water supply source for the area, with a storage capacity of 440 acre-feet. Completed in 1955, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 44 feet, with a hydraulic height of 40 feet, and a length of 528 feet. The dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program and undergoes regular inspections to ensure its safety and efficacy.
With a drainage area of 570 square miles and a maximum discharge capacity of 297 cubic feet per second, Arrowood Lake Dam plays a vital role in managing water resources in the region. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam is currently assessed to be in satisfactory condition, as of the last inspection in December 2020. The dam's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) was last revised in June 2016, with no recent updates on its compliance with guidelines or the preparation of inundation maps.
Arrowood Lake Dam's significance lies in its role as a key infrastructure for water supply, highlighting the intersection of water resource management and climate resilience. Enthusiasts interested in the intricate details of dam engineering, regulatory oversight, and emergency preparedness will find Arrowood Lake Dam to be a fascinating case study in water infrastructure management 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 Arrowood Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Long Creek Near Bessemer City | 4 cfs | → |
| Indian Creek Near Laboratory | 13 cfs | → |
| South Fork Catawba River At Lowell | 187 cfs | → |
| Killian Creek Near Mariposa | 9 cfs | → |
| Long Creek Nr Rhyne | 10 cfs | → |
| Paw Cr At Wilkinson Blvd Nr Charlotte | 7 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Arrowood Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Lakeshore Drive Cleveland County
- John H. Moss Lake Recreation Park
- First Broad River Trail Shelby
- East Charlotte Avenue Downtown
- Wilkinson Boulevard Belmont
- Riverbend Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Hounds Gateway Campground
- John H. Moss Lake City Campground
- Kings Mountain State Park
- Garner Creek
- Garner Creek Backcountry Campsite
- Shelby Mission Camp
Fishing spots
- Mountain Island Park Fishing Access
- Benfield Creek
- Buck Branch
- Pittman Lake
- Johns Creek Lake
- Sedalia Lake
Track Arrowood 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 Arrowood Lake Dam
Where does the data for Arrowood 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 Arrowood Lake Dam.