Sawmill dam
Sawmill
Sawmill is a privately owned irrigation dam located in Sheridan, Wyoming, specifically in the city of Beckton. Built in 1972, this earth dam stands at a height of 38 feet with a hydraulic height of 31 feet, serving the primary purpose of irrigation for the surrounding area. The dam has a storage capacity of 1831 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 75 acres, with a drainage area of 8.3 square miles.
Despite being classified as having a high hazard potential, Sawmill is currently in fair condition as of its last inspection in September 2021. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and a single slide (sluice gate) outlet gate. With a maximum discharge capacity of 960 cubic feet per second, Sawmill Creek is the primary water source for this structure. While the risk assessment categorizes the dam as moderate, it is regularly inspected and maintained to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and environment.
The area is represented by Liz Cheney (R) in Congressional District 00, Wyoming, and falls under the jurisdiction of the State Regulatory Agency (SEO). With state-regulated permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place, Sawmill remains a crucial water resource for irrigation purposes in the region, highlighting the importance of sustainable water management practices for climate enthusiasts and water resource stakeholders alike.
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 Sawmill -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Shell Creek Above Shell Creek Reservoir | 13 cfs | → |
| Tongue River Near Dayton | 48 cfs | → |
| South Piney Creek At Willow Park | 0 cfs | → |
| Shell Creek Near Shell | 74 cfs | → |
| Tongue River At Monarch | 383 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek Near Acme | 123 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sawmill.
Campgrounds
- Ranger Creek - Tongue
- Big Goose Campground
- Cross Creek Campground
- Coffeen Park Campground
- Coffeen Park
- Dead Swede Campground
Fishing spots
- Upper Paintrock Fishing Site
- Tongue River Fishing Site
- Tongue River Fishing East
- Tongue River Fishing West
- Sheridan Fairgrounds Pond
- Lake Desmet
Paddle runs
- White Creek
- Sf Tongue- Johnson Creek To Confluence With Nf Tongue
- Bridge At Tongue River Canyon To Burgess Picnic Grounds
- Trapper Creek
More reservoirs
Track Sawmill 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 Sawmill
Where does the data for Sawmill 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 Sawmill.