Old Mill Lake Dam dam
Old Mill Lake Dam
Old Mill Lake Dam, located in Granite Falls, North Carolina, is a concrete structure on Gunpowder Creek with a hydraulic height of 50 feet and a structural height of 53 feet. Built for purposes other than flood control or hydroelectric power generation, the dam has a storage capacity of 2,415 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 81 acres, serving as a vital water resource in Caldwell County. However, recent inspections have raised concerns about its safety, as it has been rated as having a high hazard potential and poor condition.
Managed by a private owner, Old Mill Lake Dam falls under the regulatory oversight of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program. Despite being state-regulated and regularly inspected, the dam's poor condition calls for immediate attention and potential risk management measures. With the hazard potential deemed high, stakeholders and the local community must ensure that emergency action plans are in place and that the dam meets safety guidelines to prevent any potential disasters. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is crucial to monitor the situation closely and advocate for necessary repairs or upgrades to safeguard this essential infrastructure.
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 Old Mill Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Henry Fork Near Henry River | 39 cfs | → |
| Lower Little River Nr All Healing Springs | 13 cfs | → |
| Yadkin River At Patterson | 23 cfs | → |
| Jacob Fork At Ramsey | 15 cfs | → |
| Johns River At Arneys Store | 153 cfs | → |
| Elk Creek At Elkville | 41 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Old Mill Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Gunpowder Boat Ramp
- Weaver Lane Burke County
- Linville Boat Ramp
- Canal Bridge Boat Ramp Burke County
- Hidden Cove Boat Ramp Mcdowell County
- Price Lake Trail Watauga County
Campgrounds
- Fulda Gap / Cef Dragoons Hq
- Sawtooth Campground
- South Mountains State Park
- Little River Campground
- Boone Fork Campground
- Family Campground, South Mountains State Park
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
- Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary To Linville Gorge Boundary
- Headwaters Above Linville Gap To Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary
- Watauga Reservoir To Tn/Nc State Line
- Boundary Between Mitchell And Yancy Counties To Nc/Tn Stateline
Track Old Mill 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 Old Mill Lake Dam
Where does the data for Old Mill 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 Old Mill Lake Dam.