The N.C. Dam Safety Law of 1967 gives the state dam safety officials the power to levy fines and as a last resort use the court to order a person to make repairs. Private individuals sometimes breach an agreement with Natural Resources, according to Miller and Walling. But there are some that drain lakes or ponds or make repairs to remove any liability said Miller. Dam failures are rare and there have been few deaths in recent years. Even in massive floods like Hurricane Floyd's inundation of North Carolina last summer, just 36 dams failed and those that did were mostly small and claimed no lives.
Moss Lake fits the hazardous classification.
The lake is classified as a water supply reservoir and is owned by the City of Kings Mountain. In worst case scenario if there was an immediate collapse of Moss Lake it would be a terribly serious event. Moss Lake dam is the largest in Cleveland County, said Miller. The South Carolina state line is approximately 15 miles from Moss Lake. However, a large dam like Moss Lake is monitored daily for deterioration, water seepage and any extra water coming from the spillway, said Ollis, An immediate collapse of a dam without prior knowledge would be unlikely, said Lovelace.