Dempsey dam
Dempsey
Dempsey is a privately owned earth dam located in Moorefield, Chambers, Alabama. Constructed in 1977, the dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the TR Little Chatahospee River. With a hydraulic height of 17 feet and a structural height of 22 feet, Dempsey has a NID storage capacity of 135 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 70 acre-feet. The dam has a low hazard potential rating and is currently in a not rated condition assessment status.
Managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers' Mobile District, Dempsey has not been modified since its completion and does not have associated structures such as spillways or outlet gates. The dam has a maximum discharge capacity of 935 cubic feet per second and a length of 450 feet. Despite being state-regulated, Dempsey does not fall under state jurisdiction for permitting, inspection, or enforcement. The dam's emergency action plan, risk assessment, and inundation maps have not been prepared or updated, indicating potential gaps in emergency preparedness measures.
Overall, Dempsey plays a crucial role in mitigating flood risks in the area, although its lack of certain regulatory and emergency preparedness measures may warrant further attention. Water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the management and safety of dams like Dempsey in Alabama's Congressional District 03 may find the details on its design, purpose, and operational status intriguing for further exploration and analysis.
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 Dempsey -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River At West Point | 877 cfs | → |
| Sougahatchee Creek At Co Rd 188 Nr Loachapoka | 30 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River Nr New Site | 695 cfs | → |
| Chewacla Creek At Chewacla State Park Nr Auburn | 5 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River At Wadley Al | 991 cfs | → |
| Uphapee Creek Near Tuskegee Al | 158 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dempsey.
⚓ Boat launches
- West 7th Street 199, West Point
- County Road 390 Chambers County
- Dam Road Troup County
- Westpoint Road West Point
- Abbottsford Road Troup County
- Hamlet Mill Road Tallapoosa County
⛺ Campgrounds
More campgrounds →🎣 Fishing spots
- Opelika City (Saugahatchee) Reservoir
- Bartlett's Ferry (Lake Harding)
- Lake Harding
- Goat Rock Lake
- Lake Martin
- Crooked Creek
🛡 More reservoirs
More reservoirs →Track Dempsey 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 Dempsey
Where does the data for Dempsey 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 Dempsey.