Van Bibber Dam dam
Van Bibber Dam
Van Bibber Dam, located in Clinton Falls-Offstream, Indiana, is a privately owned structure designed by the USDA NRCS and regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The dam, completed in 1964, serves primarily for recreational purposes on Little Walnut Creek. Standing at a height of 30 feet with a hydraulic height of 33 feet, the earth dam spans 444 feet and has a storage capacity of 124 acre-feet.
Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment is rated as poor, with the last inspection conducted in July 2019. The risk assessment for Van Bibber Dam is moderate, indicating a level 3 risk. While it currently lacks certain emergency preparedness measures, such as an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and inundation maps, the dam's risk management measures and overall safety remain under review. Enthusiasts of water resources and climate change may find Van Bibber Dam to be an intriguing case study in balancing recreational benefits with the need for ongoing maintenance and safety improvements.
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 Van Bibber Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Big Raccoon Creek Near Fincastle Ind | 240 cfs | → |
| Plum Creek Near Bainbridge | 12 cfs | → |
| Big Walnut Creek Near Roachdale | 360 cfs | → |
| Big Raccoon Creek At Coxville | 713 cfs | → |
| Mill Creek Near Cataract | 1,800 cfs | → |
| Sugar Creek At Crawfordsville | 707 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Van Bibber Dam.
Boat launches
- Small Mouth Run Trail Hendricks County
- Marshall Road Rockville
- Henley Road 8823, Marshall
- Lake Shore Drive Owen County
- Ten High Drive Owen County
- Brann Road Owen County
Track Van Bibber 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 Van Bibber Dam
Where does the data for Van Bibber 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 Van Bibber Dam.