Lake In The Woods dam
Lake In The Woods
Lake In The Woods, located in Jefferson County, Alabama, is a private recreational lake with a primary purpose of providing leisure activities for its owners. The dam that creates the lake is an earth dam with a hydraulic height of 35 feet and a structural height of 40 feet. Completed in 1950, the dam has a storage capacity of 670 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 580 acre-feet. The lake is fed by the Cahaba River source and has a maximum discharge rate of 108 cubic feet per second.
Despite its primary purpose of recreation, Lake In The Woods poses a significant hazard potential, although its overall condition has not been rated. The dam has not been assessed for its current condition, emergency action plan preparation, or risk management measures. The lack of inspections and assessments raises concerns about the safety and maintenance of the dam, especially given its age and the potential risks associated with its significant hazard potential.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Lake In The Woods presents an intriguing case study of a privately owned recreational lake with an earth dam. The lack of regulatory oversight and assessment of the dam's condition raises questions about its long-term safety and the potential risks it poses to the surrounding community. Further research and monitoring of the dam's structural integrity and emergency preparedness are needed to ensure the safety of both the dam and the individuals who enjoy recreation on the lake.
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 Lake In The Woods -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cahaba River At Trussville | 2 cfs | → |
| Turkey Creek At Sewage Plant Near Pinson Al | 18 cfs | → |
| Little Cahaba River Below Leeds | 10 cfs | → |
| Fivemile Creek At Ketona Al | 43 cfs | → |
| Blackburn Fork Little Warrior R Nr Holly Springs | 7 cfs | → |
| Village Creek At 86th St North At Roebuck | 4 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake In The Woods.
Boat launches
- Lake In The Woods Road Jefferson County
- Echo Lake Lane 7501, Jefferson County
- Old Mill Trail 7098, Clay
- Highlands Drive Trussville
- Inland Lake Blount County
- Boat Landing Road 4101, Blount County
Campgrounds
Fishing spots
Track Lake In The Woods 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 Lake In The Woods
Where does the data for Lake In The Woods 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 Significant 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.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Lake In The Woods.