Dr Walter Nicholas Dam dam
Dr Walter Nicholas Dam
Dr Walter Nicholas Dam, located in Monroe, Alabama, along the TR-BRUSHY CREEK river, was completed in 1960 and serves as a recreational site for water resource and climate enthusiasts. With a primary purpose of recreation, the dam is privately owned and stands at a hydraulic height of 17 feet and a structural height of 19 feet. The dam has a storage capacity of 61 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 440 cubic feet per second. Despite being classified as low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is currently listed as "Not Rated".
While the dam does not fall under federal jurisdiction, it is maintained by private owners and has not undergone recent inspections or assessments. The dam's Emergency Action Plan (EAP) status, inundation maps, risk assessment, and risk management measures are all listed as unprepared or not applicable. The location's hazard potential is deemed low, but the lack of recent evaluations raises questions about the overall safety and maintenance of the structure. For those interested in water resource management and climate change impacts on infrastructure, Dr Walter Nicholas Dam presents an intriguing case study of a privately owned recreational dam in need of further examination and oversight.
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 Dr Walter Nicholas Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Murder Creek Near Evergreen Al | 88 cfs | → |
| Alabama River At Claiborne L&D Near Monroeville | 5,010 cfs | → |
| Big Escambia Cr At Sardine Br Nr Stanley Crossroad | 106 cfs | → |
| Burnt Corn Creek At State Hwy 41 Near Brewton | 28 cfs | → |
| Sepulga River Near Mckenzie Al | 104 cfs | → |
| Murder Creek At State Hwy 41 At Brewton | 175 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dr Walter Nicholas Dam.
Track Dr Walter Nicholas 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 Dr Walter Nicholas Dam
Where does the data for Dr Walter Nicholas 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 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.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Dr Walter Nicholas Dam.