Craig Field Lake Dam dam
Craig Field Lake Dam
Craig Field Lake Dam in Dallas County, Alabama, is a significant earth dam that was completed in 1950 for the primary purpose of recreation. With a hydraulic height of 15 feet and a structural height of 20 feet, this dam spans a length of 790 feet and has a storage capacity of 168 acre-feet. Situated east of Blackwell Bend and utilizing TR-Fourmile Creek as the river or stream source, Craig Field Lake Dam is owned and operated by the local government.
This dam, located in the Mobile District of Alabama, has a maximum discharge rate of 1075 cubic feet per second and is considered to have a significant hazard potential. While the condition assessment is currently not rated, the dam has not undergone recent inspections or been equipped with an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). Despite not being regulated by the state, Craig Field Lake Dam serves as a crucial recreational resource for the surrounding community, offering opportunities for fishing, boating, and other water-based activities.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Craig Field Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study in dam infrastructure management. With its historical construction date and notable storage capacity, this earth dam raises questions about maintenance practices, risk assessment, and emergency preparedness. As a local government-owned structure, the dam's condition assessment and hazard potential underscore the importance of ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure the safety and sustainability of this vital water resource in Dallas County, Alabama.
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 Craig Field Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cahaba River Near Marion Junction Al | 749 cfs | → |
| Mulberry Creek At Jones Al | 110 cfs | → |
| Pine Barren Creek Near Snow Hill | 29 cfs | → |
| Alabama River Near Montgomery | 7,540 cfs | → |
| Catoma Creek Near Montgomery Al | 7 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River At Centreville Al | 302 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Craig Field Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Prairie Creek Road Lowndes County
- Brinson Court Lowndes County
- Chilatchee Park Road Wilcox County
- Wilcox County
- Roland Cooper Boat Ramp
- Highway 183, Marion
Campgrounds
- Six Mile Creek
- Jones Bluff
- Prairie Creek
- Elm Bluff - William Dannelly Reservoir
- Paul M Grist State Park
- Chilatchee Creek
Track Craig Field Lake Dam 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 Craig Field Lake Dam
Where does the data for Craig Field Lake Dam 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 Craig Field Lake Dam.