Edwards Lake Dam dam
Edwards Lake Dam
Edwards Lake Dam, located in Elbert, Georgia, along Falling Creek, is a privately-owned structure with a height of 31 feet and a length of 270 feet. This earth dam, primarily made of buttress core, has a storage capacity of 93 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 54 acre-feet. Despite being unlisted for the year of completion, the dam's hazard potential is considered low, with a moderate risk assessment rating.
The dam features an uncontrolled spillway and outlet gates, with no state regulation or permitting required for its operation. The last inspection conducted in October 2016 deemed the structure to be in "not rated" condition, highlighting the need for further assessment. While the risk management measures and emergency preparedness status remain undisclosed, the dam's overall risk level is categorized as moderate, indicating the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its safety and integrity for the surrounding community and environment.
With a congressman representative of Doug Collins (R), the Savannah District of the US Army Corps of Engineers oversees Edwards Lake Dam. As water resource and climate enthusiasts, a closer look at this dam sheds light on the intricacies of maintaining private infrastructure within a regulatory framework, emphasizing the critical role of inspections and risk assessments in safeguarding water resources and surrounding ecosystems.
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 Edwards Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Beaverdam Creek Ab Elberton Ga | 25 cfs | → |
| Broad River Above Carlton | 343 cfs | → |
| South Fork Broad River At Carlton | 87 cfs | → |
| Broad River Near Bell | 422 cfs | → |
| Little River Near Mt. Carmel | 42 cfs | → |
| Rocky River Nr Starr | 33 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Edwards Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Middleton Church Road 1276, Elberton
- Middleton Church Road Middleton
- Anderson Highway 2925, Elberton
- Pearl Mill Road 1437, Elberton
- Olympic Rowing Drive 2790, Elberton
- Dry Fork Landing Drive 1387, Elberton
Campgrounds
- River's Edge Campground
- Richard B. Russell State Park
- Pioneer 3
- Pioneer 2
- Pioneer 1
- Calhoun Falls State Rec Area
Fishing spots
- Richard B Russell Lake
- Lightwood Log Creek
- Lake Hartwell
- Chapman Lake
- Parsons Mountain Lake
- Reservoir Number One
Paddle runs
- Confluence Of Cedar Creek To 1/4 Mile Below The Nf Boundary And Fh 110, Cobbs Bridge Road
- Confluence Of Brasstown Creek And Little Brasstown Creek Just South Of Brasstown Falls Road (Fs 751) To Confluence Of Mill Branch, Brasstown Creek And Boatwright Creek Near Boatwright Road (Fs 753)
- Turkey Creek And Sc Highway 35 To Confluence With Stevens Creek
- South Of Cedar Creek Rifle Range To Confluence With Chauga River
- 1/4 Mile Below Fs 745 And Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp To Confluence Of Cedar Creek
- Crpssing Of Land Bridge Road, Sc 196 To 1/4 Mile Below Fs 745 And Cassidy Bridge Hunt Camp
Track Edwards 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 Edwards Lake Dam
Where does the data for Edwards 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 Edwards Lake Dam.