Opossum Lake Dam dam
Opossum Lake Dam
Opossum Lake Dam, also known as Lake Lucerne, is a local government-owned structure located in Snellville, Georgia. Situated on Pounds Creek, this earth dam with a height of 19 feet and a length of 830 feet serves primarily for recreational purposes, providing a storage capacity of 150 acre-feet and a surface area of 40 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy. The dam, designed by the Gwinnett County Engineering Department, has an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, with a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment rating.
Although not regulated by the state, Opossum Lake Dam undergoes regular inspections, with the last one conducted in October 2016. Despite being classified as "Not Rated" in terms of its condition assessment, the dam is considered to meet safety guidelines, with emergency action plans in place. The risk management measures for the dam are currently unspecified, but with its moderate risk assessment rating, there is a need for continued monitoring and maintenance to ensure the safety and integrity of this important water resource in Gwinnett County.
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 Opossum Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow River At Ga 124 | 75 cfs | → |
| No Business Creek At Lee Road | 2 cfs | → |
| Big Haynes Creek At Lenora Road | 9 cfs | → |
| Yellow River At Pleasant Hill Rd | 76 cfs | → |
| Brushy Fork Creek At Beaver Road | 3 cfs | → |
| N.F. Peachtree Creek At Graves Rd | 0 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Opossum Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Chattahochee River Park Peachtree Corners
- Saint Ives Country Club Parkway Johns Creek
- Lakeshore Drive Henry County
- Lake Windward Landing 139, Alpharetta
- Johnson Ferry Road Southeast Sandy Springs
- West Palisades Vinings
Campgrounds
- Stone Mountain Campground
- Stone Mountain Park Campground
- James Shackleford County Park
- Fort Yargo State Park
- Shoal Creek - Lake Lanier
- Sawnee
Fishing spots
- Lake To-Lani
- Parkers Lake
- Black Shoals Lake
- Rhodes Jordan Park
- Avondale Lake
- Davidson Mountain Nature Preserve
Track Opossum 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 Opossum Lake Dam
Where does the data for Opossum 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 Opossum Lake Dam.