Narrows Lake dam
Narrows Lake
Narrows Lake in Shelby, Alabama, is a private dam built primarily for flood risk reduction along Ivy Branch. The earth dam stands at 19 feet tall and spans 300 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 19 acre-feet. While the dam also serves recreational purposes, its main function is to mitigate the potential hazard of flooding in the area. Despite its high hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is currently not rated.
Located in Chelsea, Alabama, Narrows Lake is under the jurisdiction of the Mobile District of the US Army Corps of Engineers. The dam does not fall under state regulation and permitting, but it remains an important structure for flood control in the region. With a surface area of 2 acres and a high hazard potential, the dam's emergency action plan status, risk assessment, and management measures are currently not reported.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Narrows Lake presents an intriguing case study of a privately owned dam that plays a crucial role in flood risk reduction while offering recreational opportunities. The lack of state regulation and inspection raises questions about the dam's long-term maintenance and emergency preparedness. Further research into the dam's condition assessment, risk management measures, and emergency action plan could provide valuable insights into the challenges and importance of private dam ownership in ensuring water resource and climate resilience.
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 Narrows Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cahaba River Near Cahaba Heights Al | 18 cfs | → |
| Little Cahaba River At Cah Bea Rd Nr Cahaba Hts Al | 15 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near Hoover | 28 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near Mountain Brook Al | 56 cfs | → |
| Cahaba River Near Acton Al | 22 cfs | → |
| Cahaba Valley Creek At Cross Cr Rd At Pelham | 14 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Narrows Lake.
Boat launches
- Terrace Drive Pelham
- Beeswax Park Road 2-750, Columbiana
- Kelly Creek Boat Landing, Vincent
- Hollywood Boulevard 449, Childersburg
- Bells Lane St. Clair County
- Highlands Drive Trussville
Campgrounds
- Oak Mountain State Park
- Hoover Rv Park
- Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park
- Campground #2
- Campground #1
- Brierfield Ironworks Historical Park
Track Narrows Lake 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 Narrows Lake
Where does the data for Narrows Lake 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 High 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 Narrows Lake.