Brunson No. 1 dam
Brunson No. 1
Brunson No. 1, located in Orrville, Alabama, is a private earth dam built in 1990 by the USDA NRCS for the primary purpose of creating a Fish and Wildlife Pond. With a dam height of 11 feet and a length of 900 feet, the reservoir has a storage capacity of 79 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 12 acres. The dam, situated on TR-MUD CK., is classified as having a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment score of 3.
Despite being privately owned and not regulated by the state, Brunson No. 1 serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock watering, and small fish pond activities. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled and has a width of 10 feet, with a maximum discharge capacity of 25 cubic feet per second. The overall condition of the dam is currently not rated, and it has not undergone any recent inspections or assessments, posing a potential risk that may require further management measures in the future. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Brunson No. 1 represents an interesting case study of a privately owned dam supporting wildlife conservation efforts in the region.
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 Brunson No. 1 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tombigbee R At Demopolis L&D Near Coatopa | 5,500 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near Marion Junction Al | 906 cfs | → |
| Bassett Creek At Us Highway 43 Nr Thomasville | 2 cfs | → |
| Black Warrior River At Selden L & D Near Eutaw | 2,000 cfs | → |
| Pine Barren Creek Near Snow Hill | 38 cfs | → |
| Sucarnoochee River At Livingston Al | 470 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Brunson No. 1.
Track Brunson No. 1 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 Brunson No. 1
Where does the data for Brunson No. 1 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 Brunson No. 1.