Jewell Acres Dam dam
Jewell Acres Dam
Jewell Acres Dam, located in Riceville, North Carolina, is a privately owned structure regulated by the NCDEQ Dam Safety Program. The dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, with a hydraulic height of 17.6 feet and a structural height of 21 feet. With a normal storage capacity of 14 acre-feet and a drainage area of 154 square miles, the dam provides essential water resources for the surrounding area.
Although the dam is classified as having a high hazard potential, its condition assessment as of May 2019 was satisfactory. Regular inspections are conducted every two years to ensure the safety and integrity of the structure. While there are no associated structures or outlet gates, the dam's significance lies in its role in providing recreational opportunities and contributing to the overall water resource management in the region. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate will find Jewell Acres Dam to be an interesting case study in private dam ownership and regulatory oversight 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 Jewell Acres Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Beetree Creek Near Swannanoa | 2 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Asheville | 553 cfs | → |
| Swannanoa River At Biltmore | 23 cfs | → |
| North Fork Swannanoa River Near Walkertown | 7 cfs | → |
| Ivy River Near Marshall | 47 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Marshall | 649 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Jewell Acres Dam.
Boat launches
- Redmon Road Madison County
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Memorial Highway 2693, Lake Lure
- Houseboat Lane 299, Mcdowell County
- North Lakeshore Drive 103, Haywood County
- Pisgah Forest Access Brevard
Campgrounds
- Campfire Lodgings
- Windy Gap - A Young Life Camp
- Firefighter Island Campsite
- Lake Powhatan Campground
- Lake Powhatan
- Blue Ridge Parkway Tent
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Dillard Place
- 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
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
- Boundary Between Mitchell And Yancy Counties To Nc/Tn Stateline
Track Jewell Acres 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 Jewell Acres Dam
Where does the data for Jewell Acres 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 Jewell Acres Dam.