Lower Sabino Dam dam
Lower Sabino Dam
Lower Sabino Dam, located in Tucson, Arizona, is a masonry structure built in 1935 by the USDA Forest Service. The dam stands at 18 feet high and spans 282 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 8 acre-feet. Situated on Sabino Creek, the dam serves as a vital water resource for the region, with a significant hazard potential and moderate risk assessment.
Despite its age, the dam's condition is currently marked as "Not Rated," indicating a need for further inspection and assessment to ensure its structural integrity and safety. The spillway type is uncontrolled, with a width of 132 feet, and the outlet gates are also uncontrolled. The risk management measures and emergency preparedness for the dam are not clearly outlined, highlighting the importance of regular monitoring and maintenance to mitigate potential risks associated with the structure. As climate change continues to impact water resources and infrastructure, the Lower Sabino Dam plays a crucial role in water management and 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 Lower Sabino Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lower Sabino Dam.
Campgrounds
- Gordon Hirabayashi Campground
- Molino Basin
- Molino Basin Campground
- Whitetail Campground
- Spencer Canyon Campground
- Spencer Canyon
Paddle runs
- Headwaters To Pusch Ridge Wilderness Boundary
- Wilderness Boundary To Coronado National Forest Boundary
- Marshall Gulch Recreation Area To Wilderness Boundary
- Headwaters To 1/4 Mile South Of Forest Road 736
- Pusch Ridge Wilderness Boundary To Confluence With Cañada Del Oro
- 1/4 Mile South Of Forest Road 736 To Coronado National Forest Boundary
Track Lower Sabino 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 Lower Sabino Dam
Where does the data for Lower Sabino 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 Significant 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 Lower Sabino Dam.