Irene Lake Dam dam
Irene Lake Dam
Irene Lake Dam, located in Mountain Park, Georgia, serves as a recreational area along Rocky Creek. Built in 1967, this earth dam stands at a height of 32 feet and stretches 148 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 153 acre-feet. However, recent inspections have revealed a poor condition assessment and a high hazard potential, making it a cause for concern among water resource and climate enthusiasts.
The dam is privately owned and regulated by the Georgia Safe Dams Program, with state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place. Despite its moderate risk assessment rating, the dam's poor condition raises alarms for potential safety issues and the need for immediate risk management measures. Additionally, the dam lacks emergency action plans and updated contact information, highlighting the importance of proactive measures to mitigate risks and ensure the safety of surrounding communities and ecosystems.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts continue to monitor Irene Lake Dam, it serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining and managing critical infrastructure to prevent potential disasters and protect the environment. With its high hazard potential and poor condition assessment, the dam underscores the need for ongoing evaluation, maintenance, and risk mitigation strategies to safeguard water resources and mitigate the impacts of climate change in the region.
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 Irene Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Creek Near Alpharetta | 37 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River Above Roswell | 615 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River Below Morgan Falls Dam | 1,010 cfs | → |
| Noonday Creek At Shallowford Road | 13 cfs | → |
| Noonday Creek At Hawkins Store Rd | 6 cfs | → |
| Sope Creek Near Marietta | 10 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Irene Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Lake Windward Landing 139, Alpharetta
- Johnson Ferry Road Southeast Sandy Springs
- Chattahochee River Park Peachtree Corners
- Riveredge Lane Northwest Sandy Springs
- Saint Ives Country Club Parkway Johns Creek
- West Palisades Vinings
Campgrounds
- Sweetwater - Allatoona Lake
- Payne - Allatoona Lake
- Dobbins Lakeside Military
- Victoria - Allatoona Lake
- Clark Creek South - Allatoona Lake
- Clark Creek North - Allatoona Lake
Fishing spots
Track Irene 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 Irene Lake Dam
Where does the data for Irene 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 Irene Lake Dam.