New River Lake Dam dam
New River Lake Dam
New River Lake Dam, also known as Crystle Lake Dam, is a private-owned structure located in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Situated on the Middle Fork Creek, this dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 3.5 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy. With a hydraulic height of 21 feet and a structural height of 25 feet, the dam holds a normal storage capacity of 20 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 35 acre-feet.
Despite its recreational benefits, New River Lake Dam poses a high hazard potential and has been assessed to be in poor condition as of March 2021. The dam is under the regulatory oversight of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program, ensuring that state inspections, permitting, and enforcement are in place to mitigate any potential risks. With a history of modifications and a last inspection date in March 2021, efforts are being made to address the dam's condition and ensure the safety of the surrounding community.
As a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts, New River Lake Dam not only provides recreational opportunities but also highlights the importance of dam safety and regulation in safeguarding communities against potential hazards. With ongoing assessments and inspections, the dam serves as a reminder of the critical need for effective risk management measures to protect both the environment and the public.
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 New River Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yadkin River At Patterson | 12 cfs | → |
| Watauga River Near Sugar Grove | 38 cfs | → |
| Elk Creek At Elkville | 23 cfs | → |
| Johns River At Arneys Store | 72 cfs | → |
| South Fork New River Near Jefferson | 124 cfs | → |
| Linville River Near Nebo | 17 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near New River Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Price Lake Trail Watauga County
- Roby Green Road Watauga County
- Stuart Williams Road Watauga County
- River Road Watauga County
- Big Hill Road Watauga County
- Castle Ford Road Ashe County
Campgrounds
- Old Johns River Road
- Price Park Campground
- Goshen Creek
- Honey Bear Campground
- Julian Price - Blue Ridge Parkway
- Julian Price
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Watauga Reservoir To Tn/Nc State Line
- Headwaters Above Linville Gap To Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary
- Blue Ridge Parkway Boundary To Linville Gorge Boundary
- Linville Gorge Wilderness Boundary To Southern End Of Wilderness
- Linville Wilderness Boundary To Lake James
- Headwaters To Tn/Va State Line
Track New River 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 New River Lake Dam
Where does the data for New River 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 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 New River Lake Dam.