Big Pond dam
Big Pond
Big Pond in North Carolina is a private water supply dam with a height of 30 feet, serving as a vital resource for the local community in Ansonville. The dam is primarily used for water supply purposes and is regulated by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Despite its significant hazard potential, the condition assessment of Big Pond is currently not available, raising questions about its safety and maintenance.
Located in Stanly County, Big Pond is managed by a private owner and is not under state jurisdiction or regulation. The dam's construction and operational details remain unspecified, with no information available on its storage capacity or drainage area. With no recent inspection data or emergency action plan in place, concerns about the dam's structural integrity and readiness for potential hazards linger, highlighting the importance of proactive risk management measures for water resource enthusiasts.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Big Pond presents a case study of a privately owned dam with limited oversight and transparency in terms of its condition and safety protocols. The lack of available information on the dam's construction, storage capacity, and inspection history underscores the need for increased regulatory scrutiny and risk assessment to ensure the continued reliability and safety of this essential water supply infrastructure 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 Big Pond -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky River Near Norwood | 119 cfs | → |
| Rocky River Nr Stanfield | 173 cfs | → |
| Rocky R Ab Irish Buffalo Cr Nr Rocky River | 47 cfs | → |
| Goose Cr At Fairview | 14 cfs | → |
| Clear Creek At Sr3181 Nr Mint Hill | 2 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek At Sr1525 Nr Indian Trail | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Big Pond.
Boat launches
- Lilly’S Bridge Access Area
- Badin Lake Boat Ramp
- Falls Road Stanly County
- Morrow Mountain Boat Launch
- Cove Boat Ramp
- Old Whitney Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Morrow Mountain State Park
- Woodrun
- Deep Water Trailt Horse Camp
- Art Lilley Campground
- Arrowhead
- Arrowhead Campground
Fishing spots
- Arrowhead Lake
- Badin Lake Lakemont Rd
- Blewett Falls Lake Grassy Island
- Buck Branch
- Abbotts Creek
- Buddle Branch
Track Big Pond 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 Big Pond
Where does the data for Big Pond 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 Significant 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 Big Pond.