Grey Lake Dam dam
Grey Lake Dam
Grey Lake Dam, located in Apex, North Carolina, is a private dam on Beaver Creek with a primary purpose of recreation. The dam is classified as an Earth dam, standing at a structural height of 25 feet and offering a storage capacity of 30 acre-feet. While the dam is state-regulated and subject to routine inspections, the last recorded inspection took place in April 1999, with a fair condition assessment and a significant hazard potential.
Despite its recreational focus, Grey Lake Dam poses potential risks due to its age and maintenance history. The dam lacks modern safety features such as spillways and outlet gates, which could increase the risk of flooding and structural failure in the event of heavy rainfall or other emergencies. With its condition assessment labeled as fair and a significant hazard potential, there is a pressing need for updated inspections and risk management measures to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and environment.
Overall, Grey Lake Dam serves as a vital recreational resource in Wake County, but its condition and hazard potential warrant closer attention from regulatory agencies and stakeholders. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is crucial to advocate for regular inspections, maintenance, and risk assessment for dams like Grey Lake to prevent potential disasters and protect the surrounding ecosystem and communities.
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 Grey Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| White Oak Cr At Mouth Near Green Level | · | → |
| Swift Creek Near Apex | 0 cfs | → |
| Swift Creek Near Mccullars Crossroads | 13 cfs | → |
| Northeast Creek At Sr1100 Nr Genlee | 8 cfs | → |
| Crabtree Cr At Ebenezer Church Rd Nr Raleigh | 13 cfs | → |
| Rocky Branch Below Pullen Drive At Raleigh | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Grey Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Lake Trail Wake County
- Lake Wheeler Boat Ramp
- Bartley Holleman Road 3519-3621, New Hill
- Ferrington Boat Ramp, Chapel Hill
- Walnut Creek Trail Raleigh
- Crosspoint Road 388, New Hill
Campgrounds
- Crosswinds State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Poplar Point State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- William B. Umstead State Park
- Parkers Creek State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Durant Nature Park
- Rolling View - Falls Lake
Track Grey 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 Grey Lake Dam
Where does the data for Grey 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 Grey Lake Dam.