Cedar Creek Dam dam
Cedar Creek Dam
Cedar Creek Dam, located in Carlisle, Iowa, was completed in 1939 by the Howard R Green Company and is owned by the local government. The dam stands at a height of 50 feet and spans a length of 860 feet, with a primary purpose of water supply. It has a normal storage capacity of 935 acre-feet and a maximum storage of 1820 acre-feet, serving the surrounding area with a surface area of 84 acres and a drainage area of 16.72 square miles.
Managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Cedar Creek Dam is classified as a significant hazard potential structure, but its condition is assessed as satisfactory. The dam features an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 60 feet and undergoes inspections every 5 years for safety and regulatory compliance. With a moderate risk rating of 3, the dam poses a potential risk that is actively managed through risk assessment and measures, ensuring the safety of the community and water resources in the area.
Cedar Creek Dam plays a crucial role in providing water supply to the region and is a key asset in water resource management. As an earth dam with a stone core foundation, its construction and design reflect the engineering expertise of its time and continue to serve the community effectively. With its location along the Cedar Creek river, the dam stands as a testament to sustainable water infrastructure and the importance of climate resilience in maintaining a reliable water supply for the future.
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 Cedar Creek Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Raccoon River At Van Meter | 2,980 cfs | → |
| Raccoon River Near West Des Moines | 1,320 cfs | → |
| South Raccoon River At Redfield | 750 cfs | → |
| North River Near Norwalk | 1,200 cfs | → |
| Raccoon River At 63rd Street At Des Moines | 2,970 cfs | → |
| Walnut Creek At Des Moines | 134 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Cedar Creek Dam.
Boat launches
- 120th Street Madison County
- 360th Street Dallas County
- Walnut Woods Drive West Des Moines
- Raccoon River Park Trail West Des Moines
- Country Club Boulevard Clive
- 118th Avenue Warren County
Track Cedar Creek 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 Cedar Creek Dam
Where does the data for Cedar Creek 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 Significant 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 Cedar Creek Dam.