Mill Creek Ws Str 4 dam
Mill Creek Ws Str 4
Mill Creek WS Str 4, located in Walnut Prairie, Illinois, is a privately owned earth dam constructed in 1976 by the USDA NRCS for flood risk reduction on the TR-Mill Creek E river. This dam stands at a height of 35 feet and spans 460 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 707 acre-feet and a drainage area of 2.36 square miles. Despite being categorized as having a low hazard potential, it is regulated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and undergoes regular inspections by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 100 feet and outlet gates that are also uncontrolled. With a moderate risk assessment rating of 3, there are no specific risk management measures or emergency action plans currently in place for the dam. Although the condition assessment is not available, the last inspection in August 2019 deemed it to be in satisfactory condition. With its primary purpose of flood risk reduction, Mill Creek WS Str 4 serves as a crucial infrastructure for managing water resources in the region.
Enthusiasts of water resource management and climate resilience will find Mill Creek WS Str 4 to be an intriguing case study of a privately owned dam playing a significant role in flood risk reduction in Clark County, Illinois. With its historical significance dating back to 1976 and ongoing regulatory oversight by the IDNR and inspections by the NRCS, this earth dam showcases the collaborative efforts between private owners and government agencies to safeguard communities from potential flooding events. As discussions on climate change and extreme weather patterns continue to evolve, the importance of maintaining and enhancing infrastructure like Mill Creek WS Str 4 becomes increasingly vital in ensuring the resilience of water resources in the face of future 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 Mill Creek Ws Str 4 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wabash River At Terre Haute | 5,140 cfs | → |
| Wabash River At Riverton Ind | 6,350 cfs | → |
| North Fork Embarras River Near Oblong | 23 cfs | → |
| Big Raccoon Creek At Coxville | 320 cfs | → |
| Busseron Creek Near Carlisle | 53 cfs | → |
| Wabash River At Montezuma | 4,650 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Mill Creek Ws Str 4.
Boat launches
- Clark County
- Apple Street Darwin
- Paris
- East Cherry Street 543, Hutsonville
- Lake Charleston Loop 1744, Charleston
- Poplar Street 8570, Merom
Track Mill Creek Ws Str 4 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 Mill Creek Ws Str 4
Where does the data for Mill Creek Ws Str 4 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 Mill Creek Ws Str 4.