Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam dam
Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam
Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam, located in Hothouse, North Carolina, is a privately owned structure that serves primarily for recreational purposes. Situated on Persimmon Creek-Tr, this earth dam stands at a hydraulic height of 20 feet and a structural height of 22.5 feet, with a total length of 195 feet. The dam has a normal storage capacity of 4 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 5 acre-feet, providing a surface area of 0.5 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy.
Despite its recreational focus, Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam is also regulated by the state of North Carolina, with inspections and enforcement conducted by the NC Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program. The dam has been assessed to have a "Fair" condition as of February 2018, with a high hazard potential due to its location. While there are no associated locks or spillways, the dam's emergency action plan readiness and risk assessment measures remain unspecified as of the latest available data update in April 2021.
Overall, Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam presents an intriguing juxtaposition of leisure and regulatory oversight, making it a noteworthy site for water resource and climate enthusiasts seeking to explore the intersection of recreational infrastructure and environmental safety in the beautiful landscape of Cherokee, 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 Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Ocoee River At Copperhill | 385 cfs | → |
| Valley River At Tomotla | 89 cfs | → |
| Toccoa River Near Dial | 236 cfs | → |
| Nottely River Near Blairsville | 63 cfs | → |
| Tellico River At Tellico Plains | 88 cfs | → |
| Cartecay River Near Ellijay | 135 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Micken Branch Cherokee County
- Toccoa Avenue 104, Mccaysville
- Hiwassee Dam Access Road 4692, Murphy
- Ramsey Bend South Cherokee County
- Joe Brown Highway 8240, Murphy
- Hanging Dog Campground Road 1881, Murphy
Campgrounds
- Poteete Creek
- Hanging Dog
- Morganton Point Campground
- Morganton Point
- Tumbling Creek Campground
- Tumbling Creek
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Headwaters Near Graham County Line To Nc/Tn State Line
- Headwaters Near Mitchell Lick To Owlcamp Branch
- Tn/Nc State Line (Rm 48.0) To Tn360 Bridge (Rm 30.0)
- Southern Boundary Cohutta Wilderness Near Peter Cove To Northern Boundary Cohutta Wilderness Near Alaculsy
- Northern Boundary Cohutta Wilderness To Confluence With Conasauga River
- Nf Boundary To Taylor's Creek In Cherokee Nf (Tn)
Track Hideaway Mountain 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 Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam
Where does the data for Hideaway Mountain 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 Hideaway Mountain Lake Dam.