Strain dam
Strain
Strain is a privately-owned dam located in Woodland, Alabama, along TR Bear Creek. Built in 1958, this Earth-type dam stands at 22 feet high with a hydraulic height of 19 feet and a length of 270 feet. With a storage capacity of 90 acre-feet, it primarily serves the purpose of recreation, offering opportunities for water-based activities to the local community and visitors. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam has not been rated for its condition, and no emergency action plan is currently in place.
Situated in Randolph County, Alabama, Strain Dam is managed by a private entity and falls under the jurisdiction of the state, with no federal involvement in its ownership, funding, design, construction, or regulation. The dam's primary function is to provide recreational opportunities, with a maximum discharge capacity of 339 cubic feet per second. While the dam's condition assessment and emergency preparedness are not currently rated, its low hazard potential suggests a relatively low risk of failure, although it is important to monitor and maintain the structure to ensure its safety and functionality for recreational use.
As a key feature along TR Bear Creek, Strain Dam contributes to the local landscape and provides valuable recreational amenities to the community. While currently not rated for its condition, ongoing monitoring and maintenance are essential to ensure the dam's continued safety and effectiveness in serving its primary purpose of recreation. With its historical significance dating back to 1958, Strain Dam remains an important asset for water resource and climate enthusiasts in the region.
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 Strain -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Little Tallapoosa River Near Newell Al | 118 cfs | → |
| Hillabahatchee Creek At Thaxton Rd | 6 cfs | → |
| Little Tallapoosa River Below Bowdon | 38 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River At Us 27 | 1,120 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River At Wadley Al | 447 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River Near Heflin | 140 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Strain.
Boat launches
- Us 431 Wedowee
- Heard Street Randolph County
- Aaron Drive Randolph County
- Key Pads Street Randolph County
- Watkins Circle Randolph County
- Wadeeta Drive Randolph County
Campgrounds
- Brush Creek County Park
- John Tanner State Park
- Cheaha State Park
- Chattahoochee Bend State Park
- Turnipseed Campground
- Turnipseed Hunter Camp
Fishing spots
Track Strain 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 Strain
Where does the data for Strain 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 Low 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.