Harry Hughes Lake Dam dam
Harry Hughes Lake Dam
Harry Hughes Lake Dam, located in Speed, Indiana, is a private dam primarily used for recreation. Built in 1979 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at 20 feet high with a hydraulic height of 44 feet, providing a storage capacity of 627 acre-feet. The dam, situated on the TR-Sugar Run and Sinking Fork rivers, covers a surface area of 20 acres and serves as a popular spot for outdoor enthusiasts in Clark County.
Despite its low hazard potential, the dam's condition assessment in 2016 revealed poor maintenance, raising concerns about its long-term stability. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources regulates and inspects the dam regularly, but additional attention may be needed to ensure its safety. With a drainage area of 0.29 square miles and a maximum discharge of 4334 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in managing water resources in the region. For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Harry Hughes Lake Dam presents an intriguing case study of the intersection between recreational use and infrastructure maintenance in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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 Harry Hughes Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Creek Near Sellersburg | 3,490 cfs | → |
| Harrods Creek At Highway 329 Nr Goshen | 136 cfs | → |
| Little Goose Creek Near Harrods Creek | 12 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek At Us Hwy 42 Near Glenview Acres | 7 cfs | → |
| Muddy Fk At Mockingbird Valley Rd At Louisville | 8 cfs | → |
| Goose Creek At Old Westport Rd Nr St Matthews | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Harry Hughes Lake Dam.
Boat launches
- Charlestown State Park Boat Ramp
- Westport Park Boat Ramp
- Bell Street Bethlehem
- Harrison Avenue 1021, Clarksville
- North 27th Street Louisville
- Ohio River Greenway 100-598, New Albany
Campgrounds
- Charlestown State Park
- Deam Lake Campground
- Deam Lake State Rec Area
- Clark State Forest
- Campground Gatehouse
- Hardy Lake State Rec Area
Paddle runs
- 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
- State Road 337 Bridge To State Road 56 Bridge At Prospect, In
- State Road 56 Bridge To Forest Purchase Boundary At Roland, In
Track Harry Hughes 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 Harry Hughes Lake Dam
Where does the data for Harry Hughes 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 Harry Hughes Lake Dam.