Woody Lake Dam dam
Woody Lake Dam
Woody Lake Dam, located in Union, Georgia, was completed in 1931 and stands as a testament to engineering excellence. Designed by Walter Woody, this private-owned gravity dam on Savage Creek serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a serene surface area of 40 acres for water enthusiasts to enjoy. With a maximum storage capacity of 299 acre-feet and a normal storage of 213 acre-feet, the dam provides a picturesque setting for outdoor activities.
Despite its age, Woody Lake Dam remains in satisfactory condition, as confirmed by its last inspection in December 2020. With a high hazard potential due to its location and design, the dam is regulated by the Georgia Safe Dams Program, ensuring compliance with state standards for safety and maintenance. The structure features uncontrolled spillways and outlets, highlighting its historic design and function. While the risk assessment deems the dam to have a moderate risk level, ongoing monitoring and management measures are in place to ensure its continued safety and integrity for the surrounding community and environment.
With its rich history and critical role in providing recreational opportunities and water storage, Woody Lake Dam stands as a vital infrastructure piece within the region. As climate change impacts water resources and infrastructure resilience, the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of dams like Woody Lake Dam are essential to safeguarding communities and ecosystems in the face of evolving environmental challenges.
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 Woody Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Nottely River Near Blairsville | 70 cfs | → |
| Chestatee River Near Dahlonega | 135 cfs | → |
| Toccoa River Near Dial | 250 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River At Helen | 63 cfs | → |
| Amicalola Creek Near Dawsonville | 83 cfs | → |
| Chattahoochee River Near Leaf | 164 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Woody Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Morrison Moore Parkway East Dahlonega
- Mountain Shadows Drive White County
- Doucette Circle 2647, 30512
- Jack's Creek Boat Ramp
- Watts Place South Union County
- Nottely Dam Road Union County
Campgrounds
- Miller Gap Campsite
- Dockery Lake
- Dockery Lake Recreation Area
- Wildcat Lodge & Campground
- Jarrard Gap Campsite
- Lake Winfield Scott Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Martin Branch Bridge To Robertsontown Bridge On Ga Highway 356
- Old Turnpike Crossing To Martin Branch Bridge
- Mark Trail Wilderness Boundry To Old Turnpike Crossing Near Vandiver Branch
- Source Near Chattahoochee Gap To Mark Trail Wilderness Boundary
- Headwaters In Standing Indian Basin To Slackwater Of Natahala Lake
- 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)
Track Woody 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 Woody Lake Dam
Where does the data for Woody 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 Woody Lake Dam.