| Hope Mills Lake | |
|---|---|
| The Hope Mills Lake in June 2010 | |
| Location | Hope Mills, Cumberland County, North Carolina, USA |
| Lake type | reservoir |
| Primary inflows | Little Rockfish Creek |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 88 acres (36 ha) |
Hope Mills Lake, also referred to as Hope Mills Lake #1, was a lake in Hope Mills in Cumberland County, North Carolina which was fed by Little Rockfish Creek. It was a mill pond that was created in 1839 by the Hope Mills Dam for the first cotton mill of what was Little Rockfish Village at the time. In 2003, heavy rains caused the earthen dam to fail and the lake was involuntarily drained. In 2006, the lake had not been restored so the Friends of Hope Mills Lake was incorporated as a North Carolina non-profit organization to promote and raise funds for the timely restoration and preservation of the dam.[1] In 2008 the new dam was completed and full for the first time in 5 years. In June 2010, the Lake was again drained for safety after an inspection discovered a sinkhole that was leaking water under the dam's structure.[2]