Walter Richards Lake Dam dam
Walter Richards Lake Dam
Walter Richards Lake Dam, located in Harris, Georgia, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1940 with a primary purpose of recreation. The dam stands at a height of 44 feet and has a length of 825 feet, providing storage of 1,044 acre-feet of water with a normal storage capacity of 814 acre-feet. The dam's poor condition assessment and high hazard potential indicate the need for urgent maintenance and monitoring to ensure the safety of the surrounding community.
Despite being regulated and inspected by the Georgia Safe Dams Program, the dam's risk assessment is rated as moderate, emphasizing the importance of implementing risk management measures to mitigate any potential hazards. The dam's location in the Lake Harding community adds to the significance of its role in water resource management and climate resilience efforts in the region. With a drainage area of 224 square miles, the dam plays a crucial role in flood control and water supply for the surrounding area.
It is essential for water resource and climate enthusiasts to closely monitor the condition of Walter Richards Lake Dam and advocate for necessary repairs and improvements to ensure its continued safety and functionality. With its outdated spillway type and uncontrolled outlet gates, the dam poses a potential risk to the community in case of emergencies. By staying informed and actively participating in the dam's management and maintenance, enthusiasts can contribute to the preservation of this vital water resource infrastructure for future generations.
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 Walter Richards Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River At West Point | 877 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River At Us 280 | 1,990 cfs | → |
| Upatoi Creek Near Columbus | 309 cfs | → |
| Chewacla Creek At Chewacla State Park Nr Auburn | 5 cfs | → |
| Uchee Creek Near Fort Mitchell | 184 cfs | → |
| Sougahatchee Creek At Co Rd 188 Nr Loachapoka | 30 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Walter Richards Lake Dam.
Track Walter Richards Lake Dam 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 Walter Richards Lake Dam
Where does the data for Walter Richards Lake Dam 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 Walter Richards Lake Dam.