Colony Lake dam
Colony Lake
Colony Lake, located in Orange County, North Carolina, is a man-made recreational reservoir constructed in 1988. The dam, standing at 26 feet tall with a hydraulic height of 20 feet, serves as a vital water resource for the area, providing 48 acre-feet of storage capacity. With a surface area of 4.6 acres, Colony Lake offers a tranquil setting for outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, and picnicking, making it a popular destination for water enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.
Managed by the North Carolina Dam Safety Program, Colony Lake has a high hazard potential due to its location on the Little Creek-Tr stream. Regular inspections are conducted to ensure the dam's structural integrity, with the most recent assessment in December 2019 rating its condition as satisfactory. Despite the potential risks associated with the dam, Colony Lake remains a safe and enjoyable destination for the community, offering a peaceful retreat for visitors to appreciate the beauty of the surrounding landscape while engaging in various water-based activities.
As climate change continues to impact water resources, the conservation and proper management of reservoirs like Colony Lake are essential to ensure sustainable water supply and mitigate potential hazards. With its recreational focus and regulatory oversight, Colony Lake stands as a model for responsible dam management, embodying the balance between human enjoyment of water resources and the need for safety and environmental stewardship in the face of changing climate patterns.
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 Colony Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan Creek Near Chapel Hill | 6 cfs | → |
| New Hope Creek Near Blands | 11 cfs | → |
| Morgan Creek Near White Cross | 0 cfs | → |
| Northeast Creek At Sr1100 Nr Genlee | 8 cfs | → |
| Eno River At Hillsborough | 6 cfs | → |
| Eno River Near Durham | 13 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Colony Lake.
Boat launches
- Ferrington Boat Ramp, Chapel Hill
- Dimmocks Mill Road 920, Town Of Hillsborough
- Lake Trail Wake County
- Rodolphe Street 6122, Durham
- Hickory Hill Boat Ramp
- Baptist Route 4398, Durham County
Campgrounds
- Parkers Creek State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Crosswinds State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Poplar Point State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Redwood Campsite
- William B. Umstead State Park
- Rolling View - Falls Lake
Fishing spots
Track Colony Lake 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 Colony Lake
Where does the data for Colony Lake 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 Colony Lake.