Buck Dam dam
Buck Dam
Buck Dam, located in Marshall, Iowa, along TR-Clear Creek, serves multiple purposes including fire protection and creating a stock or small fish pond. Constructed in 1968 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at 25 feet high and stretches 216 feet in length. With a storage capacity of 34 acre-feet, the dam covers a surface area of 2.8 acres and has a drainage area of 0.17 square miles.
Managed by a private entity, Buck Dam falls under the regulatory jurisdiction of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, which ensures that the dam is regularly inspected, permitted, and enforced for compliance with safety standards. The dam has a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment score of 3, indicating a need for ongoing risk management measures. The spillway type is uncontrolled, with no outlet gates for discharge.
Despite being located in a rural area, Buck Dam plays a crucial role in water resource management and climate resilience in the region. As a key structure for fire protection and water storage, it highlights the importance of sustainable dam infrastructure for both human and environmental well-being. With its historical significance and continued functionality, Buck Dam stands as a testament to the vital role that dams play in maintaining water resources and adapting to changing climate 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 Buck Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Creek Near Mingo | 213 cfs | → |
| Iowa River At Marshalltown | 768 cfs | → |
| Timber Creek Near Marshalltown | 88 cfs | → |
| South Skunk River At Colfax | 631 cfs | → |
| South Skunk River Below Squaw Creek Near Ames | 424 cfs | → |
| Squaw Creek At Ames | 148 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Buck Dam.
Boat launches
- Arney Avenue Marshall County
- 255th Street Story County
- 250th Street Story County
- Marsh Avenue Marshall County
- Rock Creek East Street Jasper County
- Jade Street Jasper County
Track Buck 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 Buck Dam
Where does the data for Buck 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 Buck Dam.