Central Park Lake Dam
Central Park Lake Dam
Central Park Lake Dam, located in Center Junction, Iowa, is a vital structure managed by the local government for recreation purposes. Built in 1965, this earth dam stands at a height of 23 feet and spans a length of 665 feet, creating a storage capacity of 481 acre-feet. The dam is situated on the TR-Mineral Creek, within the Jones County area, offering a serene 25-acre surface area for visitors to enjoy water-based activities.
Managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Central Park Lake Dam is regulated, inspected, and enforced by state authorities to ensure its safety and functionality. Despite a low hazard potential, the dam is rated as moderate risk level 3, highlighting the importance of ongoing risk management and assessment. While the dam has not been formally assessed for its condition, it remains open to the public for recreational use, with its uncontrolled spillway type offering additional safety measures.
With its scenic location and role in providing recreational opportunities, Central Park Lake Dam serves as a significant landmark within the community. Supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, this dam symbolizes the intersection of human ingenuity and environmental stewardship, showcasing the importance of water resource management in mitigating climate impacts. As enthusiasts of water resources and climate, exploring the history and features of Central Park Lake Dam offers an intriguing glimpse into the intersection of nature and infrastructure in Iowa's landscape.
Inside the reservoir
The real shoreline of this water body, with a depth model scaled so the basin holds exactly its recorded storage. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, and use the slider to drain and refill it. Click anywhere on the basin for the modelled depth there.
NID normal pool storage (300 AF) over this shoreline implies a 30 ft basin, deeper than the 23 ft dam. Depth capped to the dam; storage shown is modelled, not NID.
How this is built. The shoreline is the National Hydrography
Dataset polygon for this water body (“Central Park Lake”),
matched to the dam by proximity and confirmed by comparing its area with the
National Inventory of Dams surface area (agreement 0.828×).
Depth is modelled, not surveyed: the basin is shaped by distance from
shore — deep in open water, shallow in the bays — and scaled so its
volume equals the recorded storage. No national bathymetric survey exists for
US reservoirs. Treat the shoreline, area and volume as measured, and the depth
distribution as an informed approximation.
Above normal pool, water is shown rising within the normal-pool
shoreline. Where it would actually spread depends on the surrounding
terrain, which is not modelled here — a reservoir in a steep canyon barely
widens, one on flat ground can spread a long way. This is a depth and volume
figure, not an inundation map. Official inundation mapping for a dam
comes from its Emergency Action Plan.
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 Central Park Lake Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wapsipinicon River Near Anamosa | 607 cfs | → |
| North Fork Maquoketa River Near Fulton | 300 cfs | → |
| Maquoketa River Near Maquoketa | 878 cfs | → |
| Cedar River At Cedar Rapids | 2,630 cfs | → |
| Maquoketa River At Manchester | 144 cfs | → |
| Hoover Crk At Hoover Nat.Hist.Site West Branch | 2 cfs | → |
About Central Park Lake Dam
Where does the data for Central Park 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 below 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.
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.
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