Kay Thompson Dam dam
Kay Thompson Dam
Located in Cliffside, North Carolina, the Kay Thompson Dam is a private-owned structure regulated by the state's Dam Safety Program. This earth-type dam stands at an impressive hydraulic height of 24 feet and a structural height of 29 feet, with a length of 286 feet and a storage capacity of 35 acre-feet. The dam primarily serves recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 3 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy.
With a significant hazard potential and a fair condition assessment as of January 2019, the Kay Thompson Dam is subject to regular inspections every two years to ensure its safety and functionality. While the dam does not have a designated emergency action plan (EAP) in place, its enforcement, inspection, and permitting are overseen by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Despite its limited associated structures and lack of federal funding or agency involvement, the Kay Thompson Dam remains a key feature in the local water resource management and climate conservation efforts in Polk County.
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 Kay Thompson Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cove Creek Near Lake Lure | 33 cfs | → |
| Second Broad River Nr Logan | 31 cfs | → |
| South Pacolet River Nr Campobello | 19 cfs | → |
| North Pacolet River At Fingerville | 51 cfs | → |
| Pacolet River Near Fingerville | 81 cfs | → |
| French Broad River Near Fletcher | 447 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kay Thompson Dam.
Boat launches
- Memorial Highway 2693, Lake Lure
- Anchor Park
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Sandy Ford Road 1925, Chesnee
- Houseboat Lane 299, Mcdowell County
- J. Verne Smith Park (Lake Robinson)
Campgrounds
- River Creek Camp Ground
- Creekside Mountain Camping
- Catawba Falls Campground, Llc
- Vein Mountain Gold Camp & Carolina Emerald Mine
- Lucky Strike Campground
- Curtis Creek Campground
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Bear Creek Lake
- Nolichucky River
Paddle runs
- Mills River From Confluence Of North/South Forks To Confluence With Foster Creek
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
Track Kay Thompson 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 Kay Thompson Dam
Where does the data for Kay Thompson 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 Kay Thompson Dam.