Bradbury Lake Dam dam
Bradbury Lake Dam
Bradbury Lake Dam in Fairburn, Georgia, is a privately owned earth dam completed in 1958 primarily for recreational purposes. Situated on Tar Creek, this dam stands at a height of 20.5 feet and has a length of 300 feet, with a storage capacity of 221 acre-feet and a surface area of 18 acres. Despite its modest size, the dam has a high hazard potential and a poor condition assessment, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
Managed by the Georgia Safe Dams Program, Bradbury Lake Dam is subject to state regulation, inspection, and enforcement to ensure public safety. The dam's spillway is uncontrolled, while its outlet gates also lack control mechanisms. The risk assessment for this dam is moderate, indicating the potential for significant consequences in the event of failure. With its location in a high-risk area and limited risk management measures in place, Bradbury Lake Dam serves as a critical reminder of the importance of proper dam maintenance and emergency preparedness to mitigate potential dangers to surrounding communities and water resources.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts interested in the intersection of infrastructure, safety, and environmental conservation would find Bradbury Lake Dam a compelling case study. As a privately owned recreational dam with a high hazard potential, its condition assessment and risk profile offer valuable insights into the ongoing challenges faced by dam operators and regulators in ensuring the safety and sustainability of water infrastructure. By examining the management practices and risk mitigation strategies employed at Bradbury Lake Dam, stakeholders can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in balancing water resource utilization with the need for robust safety measures 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 Bradbury Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Flint River Near Lovejoy | 42 cfs | → |
| Line Creek Near Senoia | 26 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River Near Fairburn | 1,290 cfs | → |
| South River At Forest Park Road | 15 cfs | → |
| Sweetwater Creek Below Austell | 105 cfs | → |
| Pates Creek At Buster Lewis Rd Near Flippen | 6 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Bradbury Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Peachtree Parkway 488, Shake Rag
- 1124 Peachtree City
- Pine Crest Drive 127, Peachtree City
- Burch Lake Road Fayette County
- Hooch Boat Ramp
- West Mcintosh Road Spalding County
Campgrounds
- Cochran Mill County Park
- Mcintosh Reserve Park
- Chattahoochee Bend State Park
- Dobbins Lakeside Military
- Stone Mountain Park Campground
- Stone Mountain Campground
Fishing spots
- Jester Creek
- Padgett Lake
- Clayton County International Park
- Griffin City Reservoir
- George H Sparks Reservoir
- Lake Starling
Track Bradbury 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 Bradbury Lake Dam
Where does the data for Bradbury 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 Bradbury Lake Dam.