Flamms Lake Dam dam
Flamms Lake Dam
Flamms Lake Dam, located in Cypress, Illinois, is a privately-owned structure designed by Borgsmiller Engineering, with a primary purpose of recreation. The dam, standing at a height of 29 feet and spanning 870 feet in length, boasts a storage capacity of 221.2 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 17.1 acres. Situated on the tributary Cypress Creek, the dam serves as a recreational spot for water enthusiasts in the Union County area.
Maintained by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Flamms Lake Dam is regulated, permitted, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and compliance with regulatory standards. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam has a moderate risk rating, indicating the need for ongoing risk management measures. With a last inspection date in September 2020, the dam is subject to regular monitoring and assessment to safeguard against any potential risks or hazards that may arise.
Water resource and climate enthusiasts can appreciate Flamms Lake Dam for its role in providing recreational opportunities while also serving as a vital water management structure in the area. With its earth core and stone foundations, the dam symbolizes the intersection of human ingenuity and environmental stewardship, showcasing the delicate balance between human needs and nature's resilience in the face of changing climate patterns.
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 Flamms Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Cache River At Forman | 3 cfs | → |
| Mississippi River At Thebes | 269,000 cfs | → |
| Big Muddy River At Rte 127 At Murphysboro | 523 cfs | → |
| Crab Orchard Creek Near Marion | 2 cfs | → |
| Bayou Creek Near Grahamville | 5 cfs | → |
| Little Bayou Creek Near Grahamville | 1 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Flamms Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Clear Creek Levee Road Union County
- Access Road Pulaski County
- Devil's Kitchen Boat Dock
- Cedar Creek Boat Ramp
- Broken Handle Lane 2599, Williamson County
- Spillway Road Williamson County
Campgrounds
- Trail Of Tears State Forest
- Horse Campground
- Pine Hills
- Pine Hills Campground
- Little Grassy Campground & Marina
- Turkey Ridge Tent Campground
Fishing spots
- Dutchman Lake
- Little Cache Lake #1 (Bowman Lake)
- Lake Of Egypt
- One Horse Gap Lake
- Whoopie Cat Lake
- Lake Tecumseh
Paddle runs
- 1 Mile West Of Alto Pass, Il To 1/2 Mile South Of Confluence With Clear Creek, West Of Trail Of Tears State Forest
- 1/2 Mile Downstream Of Confluence With Kinkaid Creek To Confluence With Mississippi River, Approx 4 Miles South Of Grand Tower, Il
- 1 Minle Southwest Of Delwood, Il (Sec. 18, T11s, R13e) To Reesville, 1/4 Mile South Of The Confluence With Sugar Creek
- Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda,Il
- Source, About 2 Miles East Of Delwood, Il (Sec 10, T11s, R6e) To Bridge At Eddyville Blacktop (Se1/4,Sec.16,T12s, R6e)
- Wallace Cemetery Approx 2.5 Miles Nw Of Herod, Il To Confluence With Ohio River At Golconda Jobs Corp Center
Track Flamms 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 Flamms Lake Dam
Where does the data for Flamms 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 Flamms Lake Dam.