Osborne dam
Osborne
Osborne is a privately owned recreational dam located in Tallapoosa, Alabama, near the city of Alexander City. Built in 1950, this Earth dam stands at a structural height of 15 feet and has a hydraulic height of 13 feet. With a primary purpose of recreation, Osborne provides storage of 75 acre-feet of water, with a maximum discharge capacity of 255 cubic feet per second.
Despite being non-federally regulated, Osborne has a low hazard potential and is currently rated as "Not Rated" in terms of condition assessment. The dam is situated on TR Town Creek and falls under the jurisdiction of the Mobile District of the US Army Corps of Engineers. While it does not have an Emergency Action Plan in place or inundation maps prepared, Osborne continues to serve as a vital recreational resource for the local community, offering opportunities for fishing, boating, and other water-related activities.
As a key feature in the Congressional District 03 of Alabama, Osborne stands as a testament to the importance of water resource management and climate resilience in the region. Despite its modest size and limited regulatory oversight, this dam plays a crucial role in providing recreational opportunities and water storage for the surrounding area. Moving forward, it will be essential to ensure the continued safety and sustainability of Osborne to support both the local ecosystem and the diverse range of activities it facilitates.
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 Osborne -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Hillabee Creek Near Hackneyville Al | 106 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River Nr New Site | 677 cfs | → |
| Hatchet Creek Below Rockford Al | 168 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River At Wadley Al | 983 cfs | → |
| Talladega Creek At Alpine Al | 109 cfs | → |
| Coosa River At Childersburg Al | 3,240 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Osborne.
Boat launches
- Hamlet Mill Road Tallapoosa County
- Boat Ramp Road, Jacksons' Gap
- Johnson Creek Road Coosa County
- War Eagle Drive, Dadeville
- Ramp Road, Dadeville
- Our Children's Highway 15529-15531, Alexander City
Campgrounds
- Wind Creek State Park
- Lake Martin Military
- Lake Martin Recreation Area
- Turnipseed Hunter Camp
- Turnipseed Campground
- Lake Chinnabee
Fishing spots
Track Osborne 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 Osborne
Where does the data for Osborne 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.