Pfau Lake Dam dam
Pfau Lake Dam
Pfau Lake Dam in White, Georgia, is a privately owned structure regulated by the Georgia-SAFE DAMS PROGRAM. This earth dam stands at a height of 31 feet and has a length of 520 feet, providing a storage capacity of 58 acre-feet. Despite its relatively small size, the dam has been classified as having a high hazard potential and poor condition, prompting a biennial inspection schedule to ensure its safety and integrity.
Located in a picturesque setting with a latitude of 34.582222 and a longitude of -83.731944, Pfau Lake Dam serves as a critical water resource for the surrounding area. The dam's spillway type is uncontrolled, and it features uncontrolled outlet gates. The dam structure was last inspected in February 2013, revealing its poor condition and high hazard potential. Efforts to manage the risk associated with the dam are ongoing, with a moderate risk assessment rating of 3.
With the dam's condition assessed as poor and a high hazard potential, stakeholders are actively involved in monitoring and maintaining Pfau Lake Dam to mitigate any potential risks. As a vital water resource in Georgia, the dam plays a crucial role in providing storage and regulating water flow. Continued inspections and risk management measures are essential to ensure the safety and longevity of this important infrastructure in the face of changing climate 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 Pfau Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River Near Leaf | 156 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River Near Cornelia | 297 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River At Helen | 60 cfs | → |
| Chestatee River Near Dahlonega | 130 cfs | → |
| Nottely River Near Blairsville | 64 cfs | → |
| Tallulah River Ab Powerhouse | 39 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pfau Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Mountain Shadows Drive White County
- Hall County
- Morrison Moore Parkway East Dahlonega
- Lake Rabun Road Rabun County
- Lake Chatuge Towns County
- Doucette Circle 2647, 30512
Campgrounds
- Yonah Mountain Campground
- Jenny's Creek Campground
- Bear Ridge Group Camp
- Unicoi State Park
- Boggs Creek
- Low Gap Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Martin Branch Bridge To Robertsontown Bridge On Ga Highway 356
- Old Turnpike Crossing To Martin Branch Bridge
- Mark Trail Wilderness Boundry To Old Turnpike Crossing Near Vandiver Branch
- Source Near Chattahoochee Gap To Mark Trail Wilderness Boundary
- Confluence Of Brasstown Creek And Little Brasstown Creek Just South Of Brasstown Falls Road (Fs 751) To Confluence Of Mill Branch, Brasstown Creek And Boatwright Creek Near Boatwright Road (Fs 753)
- Crpssing Of Land Bridge Road, Sc 196 To 1/4 Mile Below Fs 745 And Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp
Track Pfau 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 Pfau Lake Dam
Where does the data for Pfau 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 Pfau Lake Dam.