Kildaire Farms Dam dam
Kildaire Farms Dam
Kildaire Farms Dam, located in Cary, North Carolina, serves as a vital recreational resource for the local community. Completed in 1985, this earth dam stands at a structural height of 22 feet and has a hydraulic height of 17.5 feet. With a storage capacity of 420 acre-feet, the dam creates a reservoir with a normal storage level of 180 acre-feet and a surface area of 30 acres. The dam's primary purpose is for recreation, offering residents a picturesque spot for leisure activities such as boating, fishing, and picnicking.
Managed by a private owner, Kildaire Farms Dam is regulated by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality's Dam Safety Program. With state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place, the dam is maintained to ensure public safety and environmental protection. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment as of February 2021 was rated as satisfactory. Regular inspections are conducted every two years to monitor the dam's structural integrity and overall safety.
Swift Creek-Tr, the river or stream impounded by Kildaire Farms Dam, contributes to the dam's drainage area of 1,340 acres. The dam's maximum discharge capacity is 825 cubic feet per second, providing flood protection for the surrounding area. With its strategic location and essential role in water resource management, Kildaire Farms Dam stands as a testament to the importance of sustainable infrastructure for both recreation and climate resilience 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 Kildaire Farms Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Swift Creek Near Apex | 1 cfs | → |
| White Oak Cr At Mouth Near Green Level | · | → |
| Crabtree Cr At Ebenezer Church Rd Nr Raleigh | 14 cfs | → |
| Rocky Branch Below Pullen Drive At Raleigh | 0 cfs | → |
| Swift Creek Near Mccullars Crossroads | 13 cfs | → |
| Crabtree Creek At Hwy 70 At Raleigh | 13 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Kildaire Farms Dam.
Boat launches
- Lake Trail Wake County
- Walnut Creek Trail Raleigh
- Lake Wheeler Boat Ramp
- Ferrington Boat Ramp, Chapel Hill
- Bartley Holleman Road 3519-3621, New Hill
- Milburnie Dam Bridge Raleigh
Campgrounds
- William B. Umstead State Park
- Crosswinds State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Poplar Point State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Parkers Creek State Rec Area - Jordan Lake
- Durant Nature Park
- Rolling View - Falls Lake
Track Kildaire Farms 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 Kildaire Farms Dam
Where does the data for Kildaire Farms 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 Kildaire Farms Dam.