Risky reservoirs: North Carolina counties where aging dams pose the greatest threat

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- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (18.2%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition

#50. Franklin County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (18.2%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#49. Alexander County
Nolichuckyjake // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 21
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (19.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 posing immediate threat
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#48. Rowan County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 186
- Number potentially dangerous: 36 (19.4%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 16 in poor condition
--- 19 not rated
--- 1 condition withheld

#47. Wake County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (20.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#46. Northampton County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 10
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (20.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition

#45. Lee County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 80
- Number potentially dangerous: 16 (20.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 8 in poor condition
--- 7 not rated
--- 1 condition withheld

#44. Guilford County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 17
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (23.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#43. Haywood County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 4
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (25.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#42. Lenoir County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 4
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (25.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#41. Beaufort County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 4
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (25.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition

#40. Alleghany County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 16
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (25.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 posing immediate threat
--- 2 in poor condition

#39. Davidson County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 23
- Number potentially dangerous: 6 (26.1%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 5 condition withheld

#38. Chatham County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 55
- Number potentially dangerous: 15 (27.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 10 in poor condition
--- 5 not rated

#37. Moore County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 18
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (27.8%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 posing immediate threat
--- 4 not rated

#36. Stanly County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 14
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (28.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 4 not rated

#35. Alamance County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 17
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (29.4%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 2 not rated

#34. Wayne County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 10
- Number potentially dangerous: 3 (30.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 2 not rated

#33. Richmond County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 19
- Number potentially dangerous: 6 (31.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 posing immediate threat
--- 5 in poor condition

#32. Rutherford County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 3
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (33.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 posing immediate threat

#31. Pitt County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 3
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (33.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 not rated

#30. Robeson County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 6
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (33.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 condition withheld

#29. Wilkes County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 57
- Number potentially dangerous: 19 (33.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition
--- 17 not rated

#28. Buncombe County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (36.4%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 posing immediate threat
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 condition withheld

#27. Anson County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 32
- Number potentially dangerous: 12 (37.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 4 posing immediate threat
--- 4 in poor condition
--- 4 not rated

#26. Macon County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 37
- Number potentially dangerous: 14 (37.8%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 posing immediate threat
--- 7 in poor condition
--- 5 not rated

#25. Jackson County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 21
- Number potentially dangerous: 8 (38.1%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 8 not rated

#24. Avery County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 31
- Number potentially dangerous: 12 (38.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 11 not rated

#23. Cabarrus County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 18
- Number potentially dangerous: 7 (38.9%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated
--- 3 condition withheld

#22. Watauga County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (40.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition

#21. Caswell County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 10
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (40.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#20. Madison County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 10
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (40.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 4 in poor condition

#19. Polk County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 46
- Number potentially dangerous: 19 (41.3%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 7 posing immediate threat
--- 9 in poor condition
--- 3 not rated

#18. Transylvania County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 7
- Number potentially dangerous: 3 (42.9%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#17. Yancey County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 46
- Number potentially dangerous: 20 (43.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 5 posing immediate threat
--- 4 in poor condition
--- 11 not rated

#16. Cumberland County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (45.5%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 posing immediate threat
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#15. Burke County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 28
- Number potentially dangerous: 13 (46.4%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 posing immediate threat
--- 6 in poor condition
--- 5 not rated

#14. Harnett County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 4
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (50.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 not rated

#13. Brunswick County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 6
- Number potentially dangerous: 3 (50.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition
--- 1 condition withheld

#12. Graham County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 9
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (55.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 2 not rated

#11. Duplin County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 9
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (55.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 5 in poor condition

#10. Swain County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 3
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (66.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 in poor condition

#9. Montgomery County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 6
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (66.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 3 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#8. Scotland County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 9
- Number potentially dangerous: 6 (66.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 5 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

#7. Hoke County
Nolichuckyjake // Shutterstock

- Total high-hazard dams: 17
- Number potentially dangerous: 12 (70.6%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 4 posing immediate threat
--- 4 in poor condition
--- 4 not rated

#6. Caldwell County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 7
- Number potentially dangerous: 5 (71.4%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 2 posing immediate threat
--- 3 not rated

#5. Sampson County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 11
- Number potentially dangerous: 8 (72.7%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 posing immediate threat
--- 5 in poor condition
--- 2 condition withheld

#4. Cherokee County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 5
- Number potentially dangerous: 4 (80.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 4 condition withheld

#3. Clay County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 1
- Number potentially dangerous: 1 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 posing immediate threat

#2. Pamlico County
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- Total high-hazard dams: 2
- Number potentially dangerous: 2 (100.0%)
- Potentially dangerous dams include:
--- 1 in poor condition
--- 1 not rated

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten, writing by Dom DiFurio, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

#1. Bladen County
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