Holding Lake Dam

Located in Wake Forest, North Carolina, on the historic Holding Farm, the existing Holding Lake Dam was originally constructed in 1958 as an irrigation and amenity pond. The 36-foot tall earthen embankment was not well maintained and showed signs of overtopping. Due to development downstream of the dam, the hazard classification for the structure changed over the years to Class C (high hazard potential) since a catastrophic failure of the dam could result in loss of life.

As part of the Holding Village project, the dam needed rehabilitating to bring it into compliance with current design and safety standards. McAdams worked with the geotechnical engineer to prepare a repair plan for the facility, including minimizing impacts to the adjacent streams and wetlands, utilizing as many aspects of the existing dam as practical, and designing the spillway system to provide some stormwater management benefit for the proposed development. McAdams permitted the rehabilitation plans though NC Dam Safety, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Town of Wake Forest. Construction was completed in May 2015 and a permit to impound was issued from the North Carolina Dam Safety Program.