Lemke Dam dam
Lemke Dam
Lemke Dam, located in Adair, Iowa, along the TR-South Fork Middle River, was completed in 1970 with a primary purpose of recreation. The dam stands at 28 feet high and spans 635 feet in length, with a storage capacity of 253 acre-feet. Owned privately and regulated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Lemke Dam is classified as a low hazard potential structure with a moderate risk assessment rating.
Managed by the USDA NRCS, Lemke Dam serves as a vital water resource for the local community, offering recreational opportunities while also providing crucial flood control and water storage functions. Despite not being rated for its condition, the dam has undergone state inspection, permitting, and enforcement, ensuring its operational safety. With its uncontrolled spillway and soil foundation, Lemke Dam remains an essential infrastructure contributing to water management efforts in the region.
Climate and water resource enthusiasts can appreciate Lemke Dam for its role in safeguarding the surrounding area from potential flooding and supporting sustainable water usage practices. As a key component of the local water infrastructure, this earth dam serves as a testament to the importance of proper dam management and regulation in mitigating risks and ensuring water resource sustainability in Iowa.
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 Lemke Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Middle Raccoon River At Panora | 243 cfs | → |
| Middle Raccoon River Near Bayard | 261 cfs | → |
| South Raccoon River At Redfield | 692 cfs | → |
| East Nishnabotna River Near Atlantic | 226 cfs | → |
| Raccoon River At Van Meter | 2,970 cfs | → |
| North Raccoon River Near Jefferson | 1,270 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lemke Dam.
Track Lemke 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 Lemke Dam
Where does the data for Lemke 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 Lemke Dam.