Willow Springs dam
Willow Springs
Willow Springs, located in Alcova, Wyoming, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1940 by designer Loren E. Bishop. The dam stands at a height of 19 feet and serves primarily as a water supply structure for the surrounding area. Willow Springs is regulated by the State of Wyoming and is subject to regular inspections, enforcement, and permitting to ensure its safety and compliance with state regulations.
Despite its low hazard potential, Willow Springs is rated as having poor condition as of the last inspection in July 2018. The dam has a normal storage capacity of 105 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 193 acre-feet. With a drainage area of 0 square miles and a surface area of 22 acres, Willow Springs plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region. While the dam has an uncontrolled spillway and no outlet gates, it remains a key piece of infrastructure for water management in Carbon County, Wyoming.
Overall, Willow Springs is a vital water supply dam in the region, providing storage capacity and regulation for Willow Spring Creek. Despite its poor condition assessment, the dam's moderate risk level highlights the importance of ongoing maintenance and risk management measures to ensure its continued functionality and safety for the community. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, it is important to monitor and support the maintenance and improvement of dams like Willow Springs to secure water access and mitigate potential risks in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Willow Springs -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Creek Ab King Canyon Canal | 164 cfs | → |
| L Medicine Bow R At Boles Spring | 9 cfs | → |
| Pass Creek Near Elk Mountain | 149 cfs | → |
| Medicine Bow R Ab Seminoe Reservoir | 23 cfs | → |
| North Brush Creek Near Saratoga | 136 cfs | → |
| South Brush Creek Near Saratoga | 18 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Willow Springs.
⚓ Boat launches
- Carbon County
- East Allen Lake Boat Ramp
- East Allen Lake Boat Launch
- Wheatland Reservoir #3 Boat Ramp
- Palmer Canyon Road Albany County
⛺ Campgrounds
- East Allen Lake Public Access - Wgf
- Bow River Ranger Station
- Bow River
- Bow River Campground
- Deep Creek
- Brooklyn Lake Campground
🎣 Fishing spots
More fishing →🛡 More reservoirs
More reservoirs →Track Willow Springs 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 Willow Springs
Where does the data for Willow Springs 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 Willow Springs.