Forest Lake Dam dam
Forest Lake Dam
Forest Lake Dam, located in Rosman, North Carolina, is a private earth dam built in 1968 primarily for recreational purposes. The dam stands at a structural height of 24.2 feet, impounding Wilson Mill Creek to create a reservoir with a storage capacity of 22 acre-feet. With a surface area of 2.3 acres and a drainage area of 245 acres, the dam poses a high hazard potential and has been rated as being in poor condition during its last assessment in March 2020.
Despite being privately owned, Forest Lake Dam is regulated by the North Carolina Dam Safety Program, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place to ensure its safe operation. The dam has a history of modifications, with an inspection frequency of every two years to assess its structural integrity and safety. The dam's high hazard potential underscores the importance of maintaining its condition and implementing risk management measures to protect downstream communities in the event of a failure.
With its scenic location and recreational focus, Forest Lake Dam serves as a vital resource for water enthusiasts in the Transylvania County area. However, ongoing monitoring and maintenance are crucial to address its poor condition and mitigate the potential risks associated with its high hazard rating. As climate change continues to impact water resources, ensuring the safety and resilience of dams like Forest Lake Dam is essential for sustainable water management in the region.
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 Forest Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| French Broad River At Rosman | 67 cfs | → |
| Davidson River Near Brevard | 39 cfs | → |
| French Broad River At Blantyre | 300 cfs | → |
| South Saluda River Near Cleveland | 16 cfs | → |
| Middle Saluda River Near Cleveland | 18 cfs | → |
| W F Pigeon R Above Lake Logan Nr Hazelwood | 24 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Forest Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Pisgah Forest Access Brevard
- Canada Road 14091, Tuckasegee
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Devils Fork Road Oconee County
- White Oak Hill Road Oconee County
Campgrounds
- Kuykendall Group Campground
- Butter Gap Shelter
- Cove Creek Group Campground
- Davidson River
- Davidson River Campground
- Davidson River Recreation Area
Fishing spots
- Bear Creek Lake
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Presbyterian Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
Paddle runs
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- Yellowstone Prong From Headwaters To Confluence With East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
Track Forest 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 Forest Lake Dam
Where does the data for Forest 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 Forest Lake Dam.