Head Lake Dam (Not Built) dam
Head Lake Dam (Not Built)
The Head Lake Dam, located in Brown County, Indiana, was planned but never built. This private dam was intended to be an earth dam with a height of 30 feet and a length of 573 feet. Although it was designed to have a maximum storage capacity of 668 acre-feet, it was never completed, and the dam's primary purpose and associated structures remain unknown.
Despite its unfinished state, the Head Lake Dam project provides valuable insights into the region's water resource management and climate considerations. With a normal storage capacity of 271 acre-feet and a drainage area of 2.43 square miles, the dam could have played a crucial role in flood control and water supply management. However, issues such as hazard potential, condition assessment, and emergency preparedness remain undetermined, highlighting the importance of thorough planning and regulatory oversight in dam construction projects.
While the Head Lake Dam may never come to fruition, its existence in the planning stage serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between water resources, climate factors, and infrastructure development. As climate change continues to impact water availability and extreme weather events, the need for sustainable and resilient water management infrastructure like dams becomes increasingly apparent. The Head Lake Dam project, although unbuilt, underscores the ongoing challenges and opportunities in maintaining water security and adaptability in the face of a changing climate.
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 Head Lake Dam (Not Built) -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| North Fork Salt Creek At Nashville | 2,890 cfs | → |
| Driftwood River Near Edinburgh Ind | 9,520 cfs | → |
| Sugar Creek Near Edinburgh | 4,340 cfs | → |
| East Fork White River At Columbus | 13,400 cfs | → |
| Flatrock River At Columbus | 3,500 cfs | → |
| White River Near Centerton | 9,200 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Head Lake Dam (Not Built).
Boat launches
- Monroe County
- East Stipp Road Monroe County
- Bartholomew County
- County Road North 325 West 4311, Bartholomew County
- Tannehill Road Bartholomew County
- County Road 550 South 3427, Franklin
Campgrounds
- Brown County State Park
- Yellowwood State Forest
- Horseman's Camp
- Happy Hollow’S Children Camp
- Primitive Campground
- B & D
Track Head Lake Dam (Not Built) 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 Head Lake Dam (Not Built)
Where does the data for Head Lake Dam (Not Built) 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 Undetermined 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 Head Lake Dam (Not Built).