Mitchell Dam dam
Mitchell Dam
Mitchell Dam, located in Birdtown, North Carolina, is a private earth dam that serves primarily for recreational purposes along the Shoal Creek-Tr river. With a structural height of 22 feet and a hydraulic height of 19 feet, the dam has a maximum storage capacity of 24 acre-feet and a normal storage level of 18 acre-feet. The dam, completed sometime in the past, covers a surface area of 2 acres and stands at a length of 190 feet.
Despite its recreational focus, Mitchell Dam poses a significant hazard potential with a poor condition assessment as of the last inspection in March 2021. The dam is regulated, permitted, and inspected by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, indicating a commitment to ensuring its safety and compliance with state regulations. The dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and management measures are unspecified, suggesting a potential area for improvement in its overall risk mitigation strategy.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Mitchell Dam presents an intriguing case study in private dam management and regulation in North Carolina. With its location in the scenic Jackson County and its historical significance in providing recreational opportunities, the dam serves as both a valuable resource and a potential risk factor that requires ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety of surrounding communities and the environment.
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 Mitchell Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tuckasegee River At Barker's Creek | 206 cfs | → |
| Oconaluftee River At Birdtown | 219 cfs | → |
| Tuckasegee River At Bryson City | 571 cfs | → |
| Tuckasegee River At Sr 1172 Nr Cullowhee | 75 cfs | → |
| Little Tennessee River At Needmore | 445 cfs | → |
| Little Tennessee R At Franklin | 1,050 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mitchell Dam.
Boat launches
- Great Smoky Mountains Expressway 5453, Jackson County
- Church Street Jackson County
- North Lakeshore Drive 103, Haywood County
- Canada Road 14091, Tuckasegee
- Cable Cove Road, Fontana Dam
- Cable Cove Road Graham County
Campgrounds
- Fort Wilderness Rv Park And Campground
- 51
- #51 George's Branch
- Tow String Horse Camp
- #46 Estes Branch
- Deep Creek Group Camp
Fishing spots
- Bear Creek Lake
- Birchfield Branch
- Augerhole Branch
- Massey Branch Fishing Pier
- Santeetlah Lake
- Hickory Nut Cove Trout Farm
Paddle runs
- Natahala Powerhouse To Lake Fontana (River Mile 4)
- Yellowstone Prong From Headwaters To Confluence With East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
- Headwaters In Standing Indian Basin To Slackwater Of Natahala Lake
- Ga/Nc State Line To 2 Miles Downriver
More reservoirs
Track Mitchell 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 Mitchell Dam
Where does the data for Mitchell 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 Mitchell Dam.