Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest) dam
Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest)
Prairie Creek No. A-3-2 (Vest), also known as Vest Lake Dam, is a significant earth dam located in Daviess County, Indiana. Built in 1961 by the USDA NRCS, this dam serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction along the unnamed tributary of the North Fork Prairie Creek. With a height of 23.5 feet and a hydraulic height of 24 feet, this dam has a structural height of 29 feet and a length of 1050 feet, providing a storage capacity of 420 acre-feet.
The dam, situated in the city of Washington, Indiana, has a fair condition assessment as of April 2013, with a significant hazard potential and a high risk level. Despite its fair condition, the dam has not undergone any modifications in recent years and is inspected every three years. The dam's normal storage capacity is 60 acre-feet with a maximum discharge of 1900 cubic feet per second, serving as a critical structure for managing water resources and mitigating flood risks in the region.
Managed by the local government and regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Prairie Creek No. A-3-2 plays a vital role in protecting the surrounding area from potential inundation. With its earth dam design and stone core, this structure showcases the collaborative efforts of various agencies in safeguarding the community against water-related hazards and highlights the importance of ongoing monitoring and maintenance to ensure its continued effectiveness in flood risk reduction.
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 Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| White River At Newberry | 23,000 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River At Shoals | 18,100 cfs | → |
| White River Above Petersburg | 1,500 cfs | → |
| White River At Petersburg | 27,200 cfs | → |
| Patoka River At Jasper | 675 cfs | → |
| Busseron Creek Near Carlisle | 1,740 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest).
Boat launches
- Martin County
- County Road 600 South, Montgomery
- County Road 600 South Daviess County
- County Road 825 South Daviess County
- County Road 675 East, Otwell
- County Road 200 South, Dugger
Campgrounds
- West Boggs Park
- Montgomery Rec Park
- Crane Mwr Military
- Martin State Forest
- Glendale State Fish And Wildlife Area
- Greene - Sullivan State Forest
Paddle runs
- State Road 56 Bridge To Forest Purchase Boundary At Roland, In
- State Road 337 Bridge To State Road 56 Bridge At Prospect, In
- Junction Of North/South Forks Of Lost River To State Road 337 Bridge, Approx 4 Miles Southeast Of Orleans, In
- City Limits Of English, In To Carnes Mill Site In Ne1/4ne1/4 Of Sec 13, T3s, R1w
- Carnes Mill Site To 7.65 Miles Above Confluece With Ohio River At Confluence With Turkey Creek
Track Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest) 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 Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest)
Where does the data for Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest) 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 Significant 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 Prairie Cr. No. A-3-2 (Vest).