Sweetwater Lake - Site 7 dam
Sweetwater Lake - Site 7
Sweetwater Lake - Site 7 in Cleburne, Alabama, is a Federal-owned dam managed by the USDA NRCS and USDA FS. Completed in 1971, this Earth dam stands at a height of 74 feet and has a hydraulic height of 19 feet. The dam serves primarily for flood risk reduction, with secondary purposes including recreation. It has a storage capacity of 6610 acre-feet and a normal storage of 326 acre-feet, located on Shoal Creek.
The dam features a controlled spillway with a width of 10 feet and vertical lift outlet gates. With a high hazard potential and a very high risk assessment rating, the dam's condition is currently not rated. The last inspection took place in April 2014, with regular inspections scheduled at a frequency of 1 year. The dam poses significant risks, and additional risk management measures may be necessary to ensure the safety and stability of the structure and the surrounding area.
Sweetwater Lake - Site 7 offers a valuable example of water resource management and flood risk reduction in Alabama. Its location in the Mobile District underlines the importance of sustainable infrastructure for climate resilience. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, monitoring the condition and maintenance of dams like Sweetwater Lake - Site 7 is crucial for understanding the intersection of water management, climate change, and community safety.
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 Sweetwater Lake - Site 7 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tallapoosa River Near Heflin | 175 cfs | → |
| Tallapoosa River Below Tallapoosa | 95 cfs | → |
| Choccolocco Creek Near Boiling Spring | 114 cfs | → |
| Terrapin Creek At Ellisville Al | 139 cfs | → |
| Little Tallapoosa River Near Newell Al | 125 cfs | → |
| Little Tallapoosa River Below Bowdon | 39 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sweetwater Lake - Site 7.
Boat launches
- Coleman Boat Ramp Road Cleburne County
- County Road 88 Randolph County
- Randolph County
- Pointe South Drive Randolph County
- Ohatchee
- Aaron Drive Randolph County
Campgrounds
- Pine Glen Recreation Area
- Pine Glen
- Big Oak Gap Hunter Camp
- Coleman Lake Recreation Area
- Coleman Lake Rec Area
- Chief Ladiga Trail Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Begins One Mile Upstream From Al 273 Bridge To Lake Weiss
- Al 35 Bridge To Ends One Mile Upstream From Al 273 Bridge
- Confluence With East And West Branches To Al 37 Bridge
- River Miles 8 Near Ga Sate Line To Confluence With Little River
- Desoto Falls In Desoto State Park To Confluence With Little River
Track Sweetwater Lake - Site 7 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 Sweetwater Lake - Site 7
Where does the data for Sweetwater Lake - Site 7 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 Sweetwater Lake - Site 7.