Elder dam
Elder
Elder is a privately owned dam located in Monroe Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. This earth dam stands at a height of 37 feet and spans a length of 530 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 104 acre-feet. The primary purpose of Elder Dam is for recreation, providing a surface area of 15 acres for outdoor activities.
Managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Elder Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and compliance with regulations. The dam has a low hazard potential and has not been rated for its condition assessment. The last inspection conducted on Elder Dam was in July 2014, with a scheduled inspection frequency of 5 years to monitor its structural integrity and maintenance needs.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Elder Dam presents an interesting case study in dam management and regulation. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam plays a vital role in providing recreational opportunities within the region while also highlighting the importance of regular inspections and maintenance to ensure public safety and environmental protection. With ongoing oversight from state agencies, Elder Dam serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between human-made infrastructure and the natural environment in managing water resources for various purposes.
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 Elder -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Tonoloway Creek Near Needmore | 4 cfs | → |
| Potomac River At Hancock | 1,010 cfs | → |
| Dunning Creek At Belden | 71 cfs | → |
| Raystown Branch Juniata River At Wolfsburg | 920 cfs | → |
| Sideling Hill Creek Near Bellegrove | 17 cfs | → |
| Cacapon River Near Great Cacapon | 131 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Elder.
Boat launches
- Woy Bridge Campground
- Meadow Grounds Lake - Under Drawdown
- Fort Bedford Museum
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Hancock
- Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Trail Little Orleans
- Cowans Gap Lake Ramp
Campgrounds
- White Rock Hiker-Biker Campsite
- Cove Valley Christian Youth Camp
- Leopards Mill Campsite
- Little Pool Campsite
- Little Pool Hiker Biker Campsite
- Cacapon Junction Hiker Biker Campsite
Fishing spots
Track Elder 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 Elder
Where does the data for Elder 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 Elder.