Pony Creek Watershed Site 34 dam
Pony Creek Watershed Site 34
Pony Creek Watershed Site 34 in Mills County, Iowa is a locally-owned dam managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Built in 1963 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam serves multiple purposes including fire protection, stock watering, small fish pond, and flood risk reduction. With a height of 46 feet and a length of 493 feet, the dam has a storage capacity of 73 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 3.3 acres.
Located in Pacific Junction, the dam on TR-Pony Creek has a low hazard potential and a moderate risk assessment. While the condition of the dam has not been rated, it undergoes regular state inspections, permitting, and enforcement to ensure its safety and functionality. The dam does not have a controlled spillway and has not been modified since its construction, indicating a stable structure that continues to serve its intended purposes decades later.
Despite its low hazard potential, Pony Creek Watershed Site 34 remains an important asset in the region for water resource management and flood control. With its multiple uses and relatively small drainage area of 0.13 square miles, this dam plays a crucial role in protecting the local community and environment. As climate change continues to impact water resources, the proper maintenance and management of dams like Site 34 will be essential in ensuring resilience and sustainability in the face of evolving challenges.
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 Pony Creek Watershed Site 34 -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Missouri River At Omaha | 29,000 cfs | → |
| West Nishnabotna River At Randolph | 707 cfs | → |
| Platte R At Louisville Ne | 4,630 cfs | → |
| Big Papillion Cr | 38 cfs | → |
| Weeping Water Creek At Union | 17 cfs | → |
| Platte R Nr Ashland | 3,020 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Pony Creek Watershed Site 34.
Boat launches
- Mills County
- I 29;Us 275 Mills County
- Us 34;Us 275 Mills County
- Haworth River Park
- Catfish Rd Council Bluffs
- Plattsmouth Boat Ramp
Track Pony Creek Watershed Site 34 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 Pony Creek Watershed Site 34
Where does the data for Pony Creek Watershed Site 34 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 Pony Creek Watershed Site 34.