L. M. Thomas Lake Dam dam
L. M. Thomas Lake Dam
L. M. Thomas Lake Dam, located in Summerville, Georgia, was built in 1978 by designer L.M. Thomas for the primary purpose of recreation. This Earth dam stands at a height of 23 feet and has a hydraulic height of 21.7 feet, with a length of 288 feet. The dam's reservoir has a normal storage capacity of 122 acre-feet and a maximum storage capacity of 213 acre-feet, providing ample water resources for recreational activities.
Despite being privately owned, the dam is subject to state jurisdiction and inspection, ensuring its structural integrity and safety. The hazard potential of the dam is rated as low, with a moderate risk assessment score of 3. The dam has uncontrolled spillways and outlet gates, making it essential for proper risk management measures to be implemented. The last inspection took place in February 2018, with a scheduled inspection frequency of every 5 years.
The L. M. Thomas Lake Dam serves as a vital recreational resource in Chattooga County, Georgia, offering a surface area of 15 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy. With its picturesque location and well-maintained facilities, the dam provides a serene and relaxing environment for visitors to experience the beauty of nature while also ensuring water resource and climate enthusiasts can appreciate the engineering marvel of the dam.
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 L. M. Thomas Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Chattooga River At Summerville | 119 cfs | → |
| Chattooga River Above Gaylesville Al | 208 cfs | → |
| Heath Creek Near Armuchee | 3 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Blue Pond Al | 75 cfs | → |
| Big Wills Creek At State Hwy 35 Nr Fort Payne | 33 cfs | → |
| Coosa River Near Rome | 1,340 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near L. M. Thomas Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Dekalb County
- Floyd County
- County Road 613 Dekalb County
- Cherokee County 556, Centre
- Highway 68, Cedar Bluff
- Heritage Trail Rome
Campgrounds
- James H. Floyd State Park Campground
- James H Sloppy Floyd State Park
- De Soto State Park
- Camp Skyline Ranch
- Coosa River County Park
- The Pocket Recreation Area
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- River Miles 8 Near Ga Sate Line To Confluence With Little River
- Confluence With East And West Branches To Al 37 Bridge
- Al 35 Bridge To Ends One Mile Upstream From Al 273 Bridge
- Desoto Falls In Desoto State Park To Confluence With Little River
- Begins One Mile Upstream From Al 273 Bridge To Lake Weiss
Track L. M. Thomas 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 L. M. Thomas Lake Dam
Where does the data for L. M. Thomas 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 L. M. Thomas Lake Dam.