Powell Lake Dam dam
Powell Lake Dam
Powell Lake Dam, located in Lawrenceville, Georgia, was completed in 1968 and serves as a recreational site for water enthusiasts. The dam stands at a height of 22.6 feet and has a length of 345 feet, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 59 acre-feet. The dam, primarily made of earth with a buttress core, is situated on the TR-SHOAL CREEK, within the Gwinnett County.
While Powell Lake Dam is categorized as having a low hazard potential, it is still deemed to have moderate risk according to assessments. The dam features uncontrolled spillways and outlet gates, with no regulatory oversight from state agencies. Despite its age, the dam's condition has not been rated, and there are no records of recent inspections or emergency preparedness plans in place.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Powell Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study of a privately owned recreational structure with limited oversight and maintenance. Its location within a thriving community like Lawrenceville highlights the importance of regular assessments and emergency preparedness for aging 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 Powell Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Alcovy River Near Lawrenceville | 8 cfs | → |
| Alcovy River At New Hope Road | 18 cfs | → |
| Apalachee River At Fence Road | 1 cfs | → |
| Suwanee Creek At Suwanee | 21 cfs | → |
| Brushy Fork Creek At Beaver Road | 3 cfs | → |
| Big Haynes Creek At Lenora Road | 9 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Powell Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Saint Ives Country Club Parkway Johns Creek
- Chattahochee River Park Peachtree Corners
- Van Pugh North Park
- Kings Point Drive Forsyth County
- Lake Windward Landing 139, Alpharetta
- Browns Bridge Road Forsyth County
Campgrounds
- James Shackleford County Park
- Fort Yargo State Park
- Stone Mountain Campground
- Shoal Creek - Lake Lanier
- Stone Mountain Park Campground
- Chestnut Ridge - Lake Lanier
Fishing spots
Track Powell 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 Powell Lake Dam
Where does the data for Powell 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 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 Powell Lake Dam.