Idle Hour Lake dam
Idle Hour Lake
Idle Hour Lake, also known as Birdseye Conservation Club Dam, is a privately owned recreational reservoir located in Dubois County, Indiana. This earth dam, completed in 1942, stands at a height of 29 feet and has a hydraulic height of 25 feet. With a storage capacity of 32 acre-feet, the lake covers a surface area of 3 acres and is fed by the Anderson River.
Despite its low hazard potential, Idle Hour Lake has been assessed to be in poor condition, with the last inspection in 2015 revealing areas in need of improvement. The dam is regulated by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, which conducts regular inspections and enforces safety measures. The risk assessment for the dam is categorized as high, indicating potential concerns that require ongoing monitoring and management.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Idle Hour Lake presents an interesting case study in dam infrastructure and risk management. As a recreational reservoir with historical significance, the lake serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining and upgrading aging dams to ensure public safety and environmental protection.
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 Idle Hour Lake -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Fork Anderson River At Bristow | 2 cfs | → |
| Patoka River At Jasper | 85 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River At Shoals | 6,940 cfs | → |
| Blue River Near White Cloud | 616 cfs | → |
| Ohio River At Cannelton Dam At Cannelton | 84,100 cfs | → |
| Patoka River At Winslow | 204 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Idle Hour Lake.
Boat launches
- South 600 East 7985, Ferdinand
- Indiana 164 11146, Celestine
- Dubois County
- East Lick Fork Marina 10387-10399, Celestine
- East 14th Street 961-999, Ferdinand
- Elon Road, Eckerty
Campgrounds
- Ferdinand State Forest
- Fishermen's Campground
- Newton Stewart State Rec Area - Patoka Lake
- Modern Campground
- North Face Camping
- North Face Loop
Paddle runs
- 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
- State Road 337 Bridge To State Road 56 Bridge At Prospect, In
- State Road 56 Bridge To Forest Purchase Boundary At Roland, In
- Junction Of North/South Forks Of Lost River To State Road 337 Bridge, Approx 4 Miles Southeast Of Orleans, In
Track Idle Hour Lake 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 Idle Hour Lake
Where does the data for Idle Hour Lake 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 Idle Hour Lake.