Fishers Lake Dam dam
Fishers Lake Dam
Fishers Lake Dam in North Carolina, completed in 1920, stands as a vital structure for recreation and water resource management in the region. The earth dam, with a hydraulic height of 13 feet and a structural height of 15 feet, serves to regulate an unnamed tributary to Garden Creek, providing a surface area of 1 acre and a drainage area of 70 square miles. Despite its historical significance, the dam is classified as having a high hazard potential and poor condition, highlighting the need for regular inspections and potential maintenance to ensure its continued safety and functionality.
Owned privately, Fishers Lake Dam is regulated by the North Carolina Dam Safety Program, with state oversight for permitting, inspection, and enforcement. The dam's primary purpose is for recreational activities, with a normal storage capacity of 5 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 6 acre-feet. The dam's location in Haywood County underscores its importance for local residents and visitors, offering opportunities for fishing, boating, and other outdoor pursuits in a picturesque setting. Despite its age and condition assessment, efforts to maintain and monitor the dam's safety are ongoing to mitigate any potential risks associated with its operation.
With its historical significance and recreational value, Fishers Lake Dam remains a focal point for water resource and climate enthusiasts. The dam's designation as a high hazard potential structure underscores the critical need for continued monitoring and maintenance to ensure its safe operation for both recreational and water management purposes. As discussions around dam safety and maintenance continue, Fishers Lake Dam stands as a reminder of the importance of balancing the benefits of water infrastructure with the need for responsible stewardship and oversight to protect both people 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 Fishers Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Pigeon River Near Canton | 613 cfs | → |
| East Fork Pigeon River Near Canton | 590 cfs | → |
| W Fk Pigeon R At Bethel | 446 cfs | → |
| West Fork Pigeon River Near Retreat | 36 cfs | → |
| W F Pigeon R Above Lake Logan Nr Hazelwood | 341 cfs | → |
| Pigeon River Near Hepco | 1,540 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Fishers Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- North Lakeshore Drive 103, Haywood County
- Hooper Lane Mills River
- Pisgah Forest Access Brevard
- Redmon Road Madison County
- Canada Road 14091, Tuckasegee
Campgrounds
- Mount Pisgah - Blue Ridge Parkway
- Mount Pisgah Campground
- Mt Pisgah
- Camp Daniel Boone, Bsa
- Wf-3
- Lake Powhatan
Fishing spots
- Asheville Recreation Park Lake
- Bailey Branch
- Anderson Branch
- Big Pine Creek
- Bear Creek Lake
- Allen Branch Pond
Paddle runs
- East Fork From Us Highway 276 To Confluence Of Dark Prong And Yellowstone Prong
- Dark Prong From Headwaters To Confluence East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- Yellowstone Prong From Headwaters To Confluence With East Fork And Yellowstone Prong
- Nf Boundary To Confluence With North Fork
- North Fork From Bottom Of Spillway Of Hendersonville Reservoir To Confluence With South Fork
- South Fork From Confluence With Pigeon Br To Nf Boundary
More reservoirs
Track Fishers 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 Fishers Lake Dam
Where does the data for Fishers 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 Fishers Lake Dam.