Lake Charles Dam dam
Lake Charles Dam
Lake Charles Dam, located in Buncombe, North Carolina, is a privately owned earth dam on Grassy Creek with a primary purpose of recreation. With a hydraulic height of 16 feet and a structural height of 19 feet, the dam spans a length of 254 feet and has a maximum storage capacity of 25 acre-feet. Despite its recreational focus, the dam poses a high hazard potential and has been assessed as being in poor condition as of September 2018.
The dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) and its Dam Safety Program, which oversee permitting, inspection, and enforcement activities. The last inspection of Lake Charles Dam was conducted in September 2018, with a frequency of every two years. The dam does not have an emergency action plan in place, raising concerns about its readiness to respond to potential risks and emergencies.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the Lake Charles Dam should take note of its location in Bat Cave, North Carolina, and the potential hazards associated with its condition. As a recreational structure with a history of poor assessment, there is a need for increased monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and environment. More efforts are required to address the high hazard potential and to establish emergency preparedness measures for this privately owned dam.
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 Lake Charles Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cove Creek Near Lake Lure | 36 cfs | → |
| Beetree Creek Near Swannanoa | 3 cfs | → |
| North Fork Swannanoa River Near Walkertown | 9 cfs | → |
| French Broad River Near Fletcher | 539 cfs | → |
| Swannanoa River At Biltmore | 28 cfs | → |
| Catawba R Nr Pleasant Gardens | 61 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Charles Dam.
Boat launches
- Memorial Highway 2693, Lake Lure
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Houseboat Lane 299, Mcdowell County
- Hidden Cove Boat Ramp Mcdowell County
- Canal Bridge Boat Ramp Burke County
- Anchor Park
Campgrounds
- Creekside Mountain Camping
- River Creek Camp Ground
- Catawba Falls Campground, Llc
- Curtis Creek Campground
- Curtis Creek
- Blue Ridge Parkway Tent
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Nolichucky River
- Dillard Place
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 Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles Dam
Where does the data for Lake Charles 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 Lake Charles Dam.